


Abandon

by sandersonsister



Series: Soulmate AU's - Haikyuu! [13]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bad Parenting, M/M, Mother-Son Relationship, Multi, Panic Attacks, Soulmates, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-04-29 16:31:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 123,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14476695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandersonsister/pseuds/sandersonsister
Summary: Kageyama didn't know much about soulmates. His mother hated even the mention of them. But when he saw the writing on his arms, he knew something was going on. Who were they and how was he going to be someone they would want to know?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So...can you guys tell I've been watching the show? Lol. I hope you like this new story. I've been wanting to write something like this for some time now. I hope you enjoy it! Please comment and let me know!

At first it was bruises. His knees were decorated with them. Then his arms. He couldn’t remember where they came from. He remembers telling his mom that his arms hurt. Remembers her looking down at the blue and black spots that decorated his pale skin and a look of absolute fury passing over her features. It was the first time he had ever seen a look like that. Before that day, she was always smiling at him. She told him not to mention the bruises again. That they weren’t important and she didn’t want to hear, or see, anything else about it.

 

Tobio had been scared by the tone of her voice. So, he did exactly what she had told him to do. He didn’t mention them again.

 

It was only about a year later that the writing began to appear. He had been playing in the main room of his family home when his mother walked by him with a soft smile on her face. The smile had completely frozen as she stared down at his arm. Tobio had swallowed hard and followed her gaze.

 

_Did it work?_

Tobio stared at his arm in confusion. Did what work? And where did those words come from? He hadn’t written them. And the handwriting was much too nice to be his own. His mother and teachers always said his handwriting was too hard to read. This wasn’t.

 

He broke out of his thoughts as his mother suddenly grabbed his arm harshly. “Ow!” Tobio couldn’t help but yell out. His mother’s hold didn’t loosen, however. No, instead it tightened and Tobio winced as her nails dug into his skin. He stood on shaking legs as his mother began to drag him toward his bedroom. “Okasan! Okasan!”

 

She didn’t respond. When they finally reached his bedroom, she pulled him forward unsympathetically and used the momentum to make him stumble into his bed. He hit the bedframe hard and cried out when he felt the impact against his legs. “Who is it?” She hissed, her eyes flashing furiously. “I told you I didn’t want to see anymore of that!”

 

“Of what?” He cried out as he rubbed furiously at his eyes. He was seven now. He wasn’t supposed to cry.

 

“Cover it up!” His mother demanded heatedly. “Who is it? Who is contacting you? Did you meet them at school? At your club? Where?!”

 

“Meet who?” Tobio wailed out, no longer able to keep the tears from falling.

 

His mothers’ eyes flashed and she snapped her hand out once more. She grabbed his arm harshly and pulled it toward her, bearing the words that were written there. “This is what I am talking ab-“ She broke off instantly and her eyes narrowed once more. Her grip lightened slowly until she finally let go all together.

 

Tobio pulled his arm against his chest instantly. He didn’t know what he did to make her mad but he didn’t want her to grab him again.

 

It hurt.

 

He watched as his mother stood up fully. She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly and opening her eyes. “Tobio, you must keep these words covered at all times. Do you understand me? These words will eventually disappear and new words will be there. You must not let anyone see them. Tell me you understand.”

 

“Yes,” Tobio muttered.

 

“No. Say it. Say you understand.”  


“I understand, Okasan.”

 

His mother took another deep breath. “Fine. Now, I’m going to finish dinner. Cover those words up and come down.”

 

Tobio didn’t bother to look at her as she made her way out the door. He still had tears running down his face. His arm hurt. He didn’t understand what had happened. Why did his mother do that? What did he do to make her angry? He hadn’t meant to make her angry! He didn’t like it.

 

He lifted his hands to his face and pushed his palms against his eyes as the tears continued to fall. He didn’t like it! His arm hurt and he just wanted it to stop!

 

After a couple of minutes, Tobio slowly stood and grabbed a long-sleeved shirt. He stripped off his current shirt and went to put on the new one on. But something caught his attention. There were more words.

 

**It works**

**Hey what did you do? My arm hurts**

_What did you do! I didn’t do anything!_

**Whatever. Just stop it.**

_But I didn’t do anything!_

Tobio took a deep breath and quickly put his shirt on, making sure to pull the sleeves down as low as they could go before heading downstairs to eat.

 

He never spoke to his mother about the bruises, or the words, that decorated his body. He found out at school what the words meant. He was in elementary school when they covered the topic. A person was connected to their soulmate. The bond first manifested as being able to feel the other persons pain. The second part of the bond was when you would not only feel the pain, but you would also get the same injuries as our soulmate. Like bruises. The third stage of the bond was anything written or drawn on your body would appear on the other person. The fourth and final stage was being able to feel the other persons emotions.

 

Tobio was somehow in the third stage. However, from what he had learned, that wasn’t possible. Soulmates stay in the first stage until they meet. Then they are in the second stage until they are able to ‘connect’ to the point where the third stage is reached. But Tobio had never met his soulmate. So how was he suddenly in the third stage?

 

For the first and probably last time, he snuck into the library and grabbed some of the pamphlets they had on soulmates. They didn’t really tell him anything beyond what he already knew until he reached the section on polybonds.

 

In a polybond, the soulmate connection wasn’t between only two people. The largest bond had a total of eight. But the important thing was that the first three stages could be reached without some of the soulmates having met. That was the reason he already had writing on his arm. His soulmates, at least two of them judging by the different handwriting, knew each other. And they had no idea that he existed. But they wouldn’t be able to reach the fourth stage until they formed a “connection” with him as well.

 

He never told his mother that the words were the reason he decided to start volleyball in the first place. He had loved the game from the second he stepped foot onto the court but the reason he had decided to try was because his soulmates seemed to enjoy it so much. They were always talking about practice and things they were going to do during the games. Tobio had thought that maybe, just maybe, he would actually meet them if he started to play. And his mother would know nothing about it.

 

But when he started playing, when he realized that he had found something he loved, something he was _good_ at, the thought of his soulmates began to take a backseat. It was after watching the games for the Junior High Schools that he decided to go to ‎Kitagawa Daiichi. How could he not when he saw their setter?

 

Kageyama wanted to learn everything he possibly could from Oikawa Tooru. He was amazing. He had never seen someone like him before. He wanted to learn from him.

 

Too bad Oikawa didn’t want to teach him.

 

“Aren’t you hot, Kageyama?” Iwaizumi asked one day during practice.

 

Tobio looked down at the log sleeved shirt he wore under his practice jersey. “Uh, well…I’m fine,” he muttered. Yes, he was hot. Yes, he wanted to just wear short sleeves like everyone else. But his mother had told him if she ever found out he had been walking around “showing those things off” she would make sure he would never be able to play again.

 

Iwaizumi didn’t look convinced. “Alright. Whatever you say. If you start to feel lightheaded go sit on the bench, okay?”

 

Tobio nodded once to show he understood and Iwaizumi sent him one last concerned look before moving toward a clearly annoyed Oikawa. He sighed as he heard the third year complain to “Iwa-chan!” about hanging out with “that kid!”.

 

He had never really realized that he had never really looked at the marks that decorated people’s arms. Maybe it was because of the reaction his own marks had received. Maybe it was because they were such a common occurrence he just didn’t really pay attention to them. But while he was watching Oikawa practice setting to Iwaizumi one day, he heard the whispered conversation from Kindaichi and Kunimi who were sitting a little way away from him.

 

“Apparently they’ve been at stage three for years now,” Kindaichi whispered.

 

“Well, they have known each other since they were six,” came Kunumi’s usual drawl, “it makes sense that they would have a strong enough connection for that.”

 

“I guess so,” Kindaichi muttered. Tobio frowned at the tone of the other boy’s voice and he turned his head slightly so he could look at his face. Kindaichi was scowling with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes narrowed. Tobio wondered if Kindaichi was upset that he had yet to reach the third stage with his soulmate. Or if he even knew who his soulmate was.

 

But Kunimi seemed to think it was something else. The sleepy boy muffled a chuckle behind his hand as his eyes flashed in amusement at his friend. “Upset that Iwaizumi-senpai isn’t your soulmate? Your crush is just too cute!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Tobio blinked and looked back to where Iwaizumi and Oikawa were practicing. For the first time, he noticed the writing that decorated their arms. Writing that they seemed shared. Ah. Oikawa and Iwaizumi were soulmates. No wonder they synched so well on the court. Maybe that would be him with his own soulmates one day. Maybe the three of them would make a perfect team.

 

He watched Oikawa and Iwaizumi even more closely after that. He wanted to see everything they did, see how they interacted with each other, so he would know what he was supposed to do when he finally met his own soulmates. He even tried to talk to Oikawa about it once. He thought that if he started by asking about volleyball he could get the third year to like him just a little bit. Then he could ask him if he thought he should write something on his arm to let his soulmates know he was there as well.

 

It was something he had been thinking about for awhile. The problem was that he could never let his mother know. He didn’t know why his mother was always so upset when it came to soulmates but he knew she was completely serious about never allowing him to see them. And about taking away things he cared about. Like volleyball.

 

He was hoping that Oikawa would be able to give him some advice. He thought about asking Iwaizumi but the third year seemed to be just as straightforward as Tobio and Tobio didn’t think that that would work in this scenario. Oikawa would probably come up with some sort of plan to help Tobio.

 

Too bad he never got to ask him.

 

Maybe he should have picked another day.

 

Instead, since he had finally been placed in a game, since he finally had his time on the court, he was so happy and excited that he thought luck just might be on his side. So he asked. He didn’t think about the fact that Oikawa had been _pulled_ from the game so Tobio could play.

 

Tobio supposed he should consider himself lucky that Iwaizumi had been there as well.

 

He did try again but Oikawa just made a face at him and walked away.

 

So there went that plan.

 

The third years graduated and Tobio became the official setter. He formed a friendship, or a kind of friendship, with Kunimi and Kindaichi. And he thought things were going well.

 

Until his mother met Noguchi-san.

 

He wasn’t really sure how they met. He hadn’t really cared, at first. But then his mother invited Noguchi-san over for dinner one night so Tobio could “get to know” him.

 

It was an awkward dinner with Tobio not knowing what to say or do. Noguchi-san seemed to be just as uncomfortable and his mother was sitting at the table with pinched lips, throwing Tobio glares every so often. Tobio felt helpless. He knew that his mother wanted him to do, to say, something but his mind was completely blank. He excused himself from the table as soon as he could and made his way back into this bedroom.

 

It was a little over an hour later when he quietly left his room to get a glass of water. He had just stepped into the hall when he heard his mother and Noguchi-san speaking. He knew he shouldn’t have done it but he couldn’t help but stop in the middle of the hall as he heard the two voices. Biting his lip, Tobio crept closer and made sure to stay out of sight.

 

“His father left me when I was pregnant,” his mother said bitterly. Tobio frowned in confusion at the words. His mother had always just said he didn’t have a father and not to ask any more questions about him. Tobio had always assumed that meant his father had died. There weren’t any pictures of the man and his mother refused to talk about him. He didn’t even know the man’s name. “He told me he didn’t care that we weren’t soulmates. But that changed when he met the bimbo. Suddenly he couldn’t get away fast enough. Said I would ‘understand’ when I met my own soulmate.”

 

Was that the reason his mother hated soulmates so badly? Because of his nameless father? Because he had left her?

 

“I understand,” Noguchi-san said calmly. Tobio’s brow furrowed as the man continued to speak. “The same thing happened with my ex-wife. We were together throughout high school and married after we graduated. We were happy until she suddenly met her match when she was working. Then I was no longer good enough.”

 

“It’s ridiculous!” his mother snapped out. “You shouldn’t base a relationship on that! There are plenty of people that aren’t romantic with their soulmates and perfectly happy with other partners!”

 

“I agree with you,” Noguchi-san sighed. “But that isn’t why I’m saying that we shouldn’t take this any further.”

 

“It isn’t?” his mother asked sardonically. “We were fine yesterday! Now you suddenly don’t want to see me again? Then give me a reason other than you don’t want me because I’m not your soulmate!”

 

There was silence for a moment and Tobio slowly moved forward. His mother had been seeing Noguchi-san? Why didn’t she tell him?

 

Finally, Noguchi-san let out a deep sigh, “Honestly, I’ve never wanted to be a father. I was going to try because I care about you. But I just don’t think that-“

 

“So, it’s that little brat,” Tobio jerked back at the pure venom in his mother’s voice. He had heard that tone before and it never ended well for him. Truthfully, the older he got the more he had tried to stay out of the house for long periods of time. His mother terrified him. “It’s always his fault! He screwed up my entire life! If it wasn’t for him-“

 

“Calm down, Ayame,” Noguchi-san said softly as Tobio’s jaw dropped when he heard his mothers given name pass the man’s lips. “He is your son.”

 

“Unfortunately-“

 

Tobio didn’t want to hear anymore. He quickly and silently made his way back into his room and shut the door. He leaned back against his closed door and took a deep, shaky breath. His father had left his mother because she wasn’t his soulmate. His mother wants nothing to do with him. She blamed him. For everything.

 

Things began to get worse after that. Tobio felt like he was losing control. Of everything. His mother was almost never home and, when she was, she was always angry. Always yelling. Telling him he would never amount to anything. That the only thing he was good at was a game that wouldn’t take him anywhere in life.

 

He started to throw himself into volleyball. His school marks were slipping. His mother was even more furious when she saw the marks. She threatened to make him quit the team. But she changed her mind when she decided volleyball was the only way he was going to get into a good high school as he “would never make it in with those brains”.

 

He was named captain. He thought that maybe things were going to get better.

 

It was shortly before his third year that he came into the kitchen to find his mother waiting for him. Tobio had been surprised. She hadn’t been home in two weeks. “Okasan?”

 

“Sit down, Tobio,” she said, her voice soft for the first time in months.

 

Tobio slowly made his way toward the table. He slid into the seat across from her and watched her warily. She took a deep breath and then looked him straight in the eye. “Tobio, Noguchi and I are going to be married.”

 

_I’ve never wanted to be a father._

He knew he should say something. Should congratulate her. Should do something.

 

But what?

 

She let out a sigh, “You could at least congratulate me, Tobio.”

 

“Congratulations,” he responded automatically and without emotion.

 

She scowled, “It doesn’t count now,” she let out a deep sigh and shook her head. “We’re getting off track. Tobio, I will be moving into Noguchi’s home.”

 

_I will be moving…_

“And me?” Tobio asked, his throat feeling like it was closing in on itself. He wasn’t even sure how the words had managed to make it out.

 

She stared at him with a blank face, “Tobio, you’re old enough to survive without me. This house was gifted by your grandparents. I will give you a weekly allowance for food and other necessities. You can always contact me if anything else is needed. However, I think this arrangement will be the best for both of us.”

 

Tobio stared at her. She was leaving him. She was moving on with her life.

 

She didn’t want him in it.

 

He wasn’t even sure when his mother left. He was staring at the table, his head swimming, and when he looked up, she was gone.

 

He didn’t see her again. She didn’t return to the house before the new term started. A week into the school year, he returned home to find most of her belongings no longer in the house and his “allowance” sitting on the kitchen table. The house now just contained his own things and whatever she had deemed to leave him.

 

He was officially on his own.

 

He began to take comfort in the words that decorated his skin. He chuckled at the banter between his soulmates. He wondered how they would feel when they realized he was there. That he could see everything they were writing.

 

He wondered if they would be upset.

 

He threw himself into volleyball. He needed to be the best. It was obvious his mother wasn’t going to help him in anyway. If he wanted to play in high school, if he wanted the chance to meet his soulmates and play on the same court as them, he was going to have to do it on his own.

 

He knew he was pushing too hard. He knew he was alienating the only two people that had ever given him a chance. It was like he was trapped inside his head. He knew what was happening, he knew he should stop, but he couldn’t. It just kept happening. He was so irritated. Every time Kindaichi missed a spike, he heard his mother’s voice telling him volleyball was all he was good for. Every time he saw Kunimi refuse to run toward a ball he saw his mother’s reluctance to be around him.

 

He felt like he was slowly losing his mind.

 

And then it happened. He had finally pushed them too far. They turned their backs on him. His only friends. The game he loved. Abandoned once again.

 

He sat on the bench and looked up, not wanting to see them playing without him. That was when he saw them. Oikawa was staring down at him in disgust. Iwaizumi was frowning and sent him what Tobio was sure was supposed to be a reassuring smile when he saw him looking. It came out as a grimace. His eyes flooded with tears. Yes, Oikawa had reason to be disgusted with him. So did Iwaizumi. Tobio had taken the team they built and single handedly destroyed whatever chance they had at the finals.

 

He would be disgusted with him as well.

 

He grabbed a towel and threw it over his face to hide his tears. He felt like his entire body was crumbling from the inside. It was official now. He had lost is chance. There was no way any team would be interested in him now. No way he would be able to find his soulmates and play with them. And even if he did find them, would they want him now? After everything he had done?

 

He was the last to leave the gym after the game. His team wanted nothing to do with him. His coach had just stared at him before following after them. He had moved slowly toward the door, ignoring the murmurs that followed after him. As soon as he stepped into the hall, he wished he had just stayed in the gym.

 

Oikawa was waiting. Iwaizumi was nowhere in sight. He was probably talking to the other third years. He wondered if he was aware that Oikawa had come to see Tobio.

 

“Poor King,” Oikawa was in disgust, pushing himself away from the wall. Tobio flinched as the name passed Oikawa’s lips. “Are you happy with what you have accomplished?”

 

Tobio clenched his jaw and forced his way past the bigger boy. He didn’t want to do this. Oikawa had managed to ignore him for years. Why couldn’t he continue doing so now?

 

 But Oikawa wasn’t going to let him get away easily.

 

He grabbed Tobio’s shoulder and spun the other boy around. Tobio gasped in pain as his back, already bruised from who knows what, slammed against the wall. “Listen, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa snapped. Tobio sucked in a sharp breath as Oikawa leaned closer and hissed in his ear. “I hope you are not considering going to Aobajōsai. You’ve already destroyed one of my teams. I’m not letting you destroy a second one.”  


Tobio’s jaw clenched as Oikawa pulled away and gave him one last scowl. “You might be a great setter, Tobio-chan. But if you continue down this path you will never amount to anything. Remember that.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys! This story got a great response! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you liked the previous one!
> 
> Note - all of the dialogue you recognize is from the show.

He didn’t return to the volleyball club. The season was technically over anyway. He was sure that the team must have thought he was hiding from them. He was sure that they were relieved that they had finally broken away from him for good.

 

And, in a way, they had.

 

But that wasn’t the reason he didn’t go to the club. Even if they all hated him, even if they talked about him or completely ignored his existence, he still wanted to be in the gym. Practicing. Getting better.

 

But he couldn’t.

 

He had attended school as usual the day after their last game. And, yes, he admitted that he had skipped practice. Like every other previous year, it would be a party celebrating the third years last game.

 

They wouldn’t want him there anyway.

 

It was because he had skipped practice that he was alone when it happened. He had been watching a match on his computer when he suddenly felt as if his leg was on fire. He cried out helplessly in pain and grasped at his knee. Through the tears that were suddenly streaming down his face, he stared down at his knee in horror. It was already swollen and purple.

 

What the hell happened?!

 

The intense pain faded as quickly as it had appeared into a dull throb, something that had been described in the booklets he read. The pain he initially felt was whatever pain his soulmate was currently feeling. Tobio would just feel a dull throb until his soulmate’s injury was completely healed. And, by the looks of his swollen knee, whatever had happened was serious. Very serious.

 

He wondered if his soulmate was going to be able to continue to play volleyball.

 

He wondered if this was the end for him as well.

 

He skipped the next two days of classes. The dull throbbing was still present and his knee had turned a sickly shade of blue-green. It hurt but he didn’t think that his slight limp was that noticeable. Not enough that anyone would really notice. No one paid him that much attention anyway. Though, he was wondering if he was making it worse by putting pressure on it. Even if it wasn’t his injury, was he still able to irritate it?

 

He got his answer later that night.

 

**What the hell are you doing?! The Doctors said to stay down!**

_I am! What are you doing?!_

**Don’t lie to me!**

_I’m not!_

**I’m not arguing about this.**

**Just stay down!**

Well, apparently, he shouldn’t have gone to class.

 

Luckily enough for him, it seemed that the two were cleared to go back to class the next week, though the one that was actually injured was regulated to crutches. But the other person was fine to walk around, as long as they were careful, so Tobio figured it was okay for him too.

 

Things seemed to improve slowly and Tobio was careful when he practiced on his own. He mostly just worked on his sets and didn’t attempt to do anything that would harm the injury any further. Like jump serves. As much as he wanted to practice so he could try and match Oikawa, to prove him wrong, he knew he couldn’t.

 

Not yet.

 

He spent the rest of break that way. His mother seemed to somehow know that he wouldn’t be in the house during the day because each week he would return to the house to find the weekly allowance sitting on the table. He briefly wondered why she didn’t just leave enough for the month so she wouldn’t have to stop by each week. It wasn’t as if she ever came when he was there anyway.

 

He hadn’t seen her since that conversation before his third year.

 

It had been a year now.

 

He had only spoken to her twice during that time. Both were short conversations about his school marks and future plans and both ended with his mother hanging up the phone on him in anger.

 

Soon enough, it was time for Tobio to start Karasuno. His knee had finally stopped aching and he figured that meant he was now free to go full out during practice. The writing he saw somewhat confirmed that as the two seemed to be talking about all the things they were planning for their first practice. Apparently, the one with the pretty writing was captain of his team. And the one with the messy writing was the vice captain.

 

Tobio wished he knew what school they attended.

 

It wasn’t as if anyone would miss him if he suddenly decided to move to Tokyo. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

 

But here he was, starting at Karasuno. He just needed to get to Nationals. His soulmates were planning on making it there this year, so said the pretty one, so he needed to as well. After all, this was most likely his one chance before the two of them graduated and began with the rest of their lives.

 

He wanted to meet them before then.

 

He was scared that if he didn’t, he never would.

 

And it terrified him to think that.

 

He found himself in the gym on the first day. First years weren’t supposed to start club activities until the following week but Tobio _needed_ to step on the court again. He needed to be there, to forget the last time he was on the court. To forget about his team, his friends, turning away from him. From feeling as if volleyball itself had somehow forsaken him.

 

He needed to be on the court.

 

Even if he was the only one there.

 

He changed into his practice clothes quickly, making sure the sleeves of his shirt were pulled down, and hurried into the gym. As soon as he stepped foot inside he felt his entire body relax. He hadn’t realized how tense he was until this moment. He strode over to the ball bin quickly before making his way toward the net. He was finally able to work on his serve.

 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could see Oikawa serving. Could see the way he threw the ball up and the exact angle he jumped at. But could he actually do it? Could he do it without Oikawa explaining it to him? He let his eyes open slowly and threw the ball into the air. Slightly too high but he could try it. He moved forward to jump and lost focus as loud screaming broke through his concentration.  He landed hard, stumbling slightly as he turned his eyes to the person that had distracted him.

 

There was a…kid?... standing there. A very familiar kid.

 

The one that could jump.

 

He remembered him.

 

Oh, he should probably listen.

 

Why was this kid yelling at him again?

 

“How can I defeat you if we’re on the same team? Shouldn’t you be at some other school with strong players? Why didn’t you go there?” The kid demanded.

 

 _Because none of them wanted me._ Tobio looked away from the kid before he could see the thought crossing his face. “The strongest schools in the prefecture…rejected me,” Tobio muttered. He wasn’t sure why he was admitting this to this kid but whatever. It wasn’t like they weren’t going to find out eventually.

 

“You didn’t make it?” The kid asked with a confused frown plastered across his face. “Even though you’re the King of the Court?”

 

Everything in his body seemed to recoil as that name passed the kids lips. “Don’t… call me that!” He snarled, inwardly flinching at the tone of his voice. That wasn’t him. That was his mother.

 

He didn’t want to be like his mother.

 

“The first setter of Kitagawa is on our team?” a voice said, making Tobio turn around instantly. “But that guy’s totally cocky.”

 

Great. Apparently his reputation was well known.

 

He had hoped this school was off the mark enough that they wouldn’t have heard the rumors.

 

“Don’t try to intimidate him, okay?” another voice asked.

 

_Intimidate? I went to school with Oikawa. No one else could even compare._

“I-I wouldn’t do something like that.”

 

Tobio forgot about shorty as he turned to face the three upperclassman that walked into the gym. The one in the middle had dark hair and a powerful build. The one to left was slim with light hair and a smile. Then there was the one on the right. He was bald and, obviously, the one that was going to intimidate him.  It was the bald one that moved forward first. “Hey, hey, hey. Who said you guys could…” he was cut off as the guy in the middle grabbed the back of the bald guys jacket and hauled him backwards.

 

“You’re Kageyama?” The middle guy asked.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Glad you’re here.”

 

“You’re tall,” the man with grey hair commented.

 

The bald one moved forward once again. “He needs an initiation, Suga-san! Let’s give him a reason to be intimidated!”

 

Tobio vaguely noticed the bald one once again trying to ‘intimidate’ him but his attention was caught by the short kid once again. He seemed to be even closer to the ground and he was sneaking around the backs of the seniors. Was he not supposed to be here or something?

 

He tilted his head slightly as the kid suddenly stood up straight and smiled happily.

 

Was this kid insane?

 

“How tall are you?” the guy in the middle questioned and Tobio turned his attention away from the kid.

 

“180 cm,” he replied as the kid began to talk.

 

“You’re cocky!” Bald guy commented loudly. Tobio frowned. How was he cocky? They had asked him a question and he answered it. Was he supposed to lie?

 

“Hello!”

 

Oh. Shorty was yelling again.

 

And then baldy was yelling as well.

 

“Oh! You! Shorty number one!”

 

The one in the middle lifted some papers in surprise. “So the other applicant here, Hinata, is…you?” he questioned. “I’m a little surprised. So both of you are here at Karasuno.”

 

_Both of us?_

“We saw your match last year,” the grey haired one explained.

 

But baldy was more telling. “You’re way short and sucked bad! But you have guts.”

 

“Thanks!” the kid yelled out. What was his name again? Hinata?

 

“Your jumps were awesome, too,” that was the grey haired one again. At least this was a comment Tobio could agree with.

 

“But you haven’t grown much since!” Baldy chimed in.

 

_Well, that’s something else I can agree with._

Shorty yelled out something about being able to jump. And then he claimed that one day he would be the ace. Tobio clenched his jaw at the words. He had seen this kid play volleyball last year. He had seen how…horrible he was. This kid couldn’t be his ace. He would never get to Nationals that way.

 

If he didn’t get to Nationals, he wouldn’t meet them.

 

He had to meet them.

 

“If you want to be the ace, I hope you’ve improved,” Tobio said harshly. He knew it probably wasn’t right but he couldn’t let anyone come between him and Nationals. “If you goof around, you’ll waste another three years.”

 

Well, okay. The kid had a glare on him. “What did you say?” He turned around fully and stared into Tobio’s eyes furiously. Tobio stood his ground. He wasn’t going to back down. This kid had nothing on the people he had dealt with in the past. “I played with all my might. Don’t tell me that everything I’ve done is a waste!”

 

“Guys,” the dark-haired guy tried to break in. “You know, you’re not enemies anymore, right? Volleyball is about teamwork-”

 

“I’ll challenge you!” Hinata (that was his name, right?) shouted. Apparently, he hadn’t heard a thing the other guy was saying.

 

“Hey, Daichi-san was talking!” Baldy shouted.

 

So the dark haired guy was Daichi?

 

“Challenge me to what?” Tobio asked. The other three weren’t important. Not at the moment.

 

“Volleyball, what else?”

 

Right. “How do you expect to challenge me one on one?”

 

Apparently Hinata hadn’t thought that far. “L-like a passing contest!”

 

Idiot.

 

“How do you compete at passing?” Tobio asked sarcastically. He thought he heard shouting but he was too focused on the other kid to really register what was going on. He might have heard someone else entering the gym but it wasn’t important.

 

“Serve! I’ll return them all! I was only able to get one of your serves last year. But I’ve been training with all kinds of people. I’m not the same person I was last year.”

 

_Didn’t he receive my serve with his face?_

 

“Not the same as last year, huh?” Tobio questioned. _Good._ He picked up the nearest volleyball. “I’m not the same as last year, either.” He moved quickly to the other side of the gym. Finally, he was able to get some practice in. “Here it goes!”

 

He threw the ball up and jumped, hitting the ball with all that he had. He watched the ball fly across the court and Hinata dived out of the way as the ball slammed to the ground. _Yes! Not as good as Oikawa’s but it’s a start._ “How is that different from last year?”

 

“One more!” the kid yelled out as he stood and glared at Tobio.

 

Tobio served once more, aiming for the corner of the court. Let the little guy try to get that-

 

He blinked in surprise as Hinata was suddenly in front of the ball. _Well, he has quick reflexes._ Then he watched in horror as Hinata moved into the wrong position. The ball bounced off of his arms, into his face, and then over toward the people standing by the door.

 

_When did that old guy get here?_

Said bald guy was the person unfortunate enough to receive a ball to the face. Tobio’s mouth dropped open in shock as the man’s toupee flew off of his head and landed on a shocked looking Daichi. Tobio moved forward slowly, the horror in his stomach growing more and more the closer he got. He knew that man. Wasn’t that the vice principal?

 

“He was wearing a wig?” Tobio couldn’t help but ask.

 

“You just noticed?” Hinata answered with a smirk. “Everyone as the entrance ceremony could tell.”

 

“You guys! Shut up!” The bald one said. He looked like he was going to start laughing at any moment.

 

“Tanaka, you shut up too!” Grey haired boy hissed. Ah. Well, at least he knew most of their names now.

 

Daichi was called outside and Tobio crossed his arms over his chest as he swallowed hard. Would they be in trouble? It was an accident!

 

Not that an accident ever stopped his mother from being angry. But maybe the vice principal would be different?

 

Or not.

 

Daichi walked back in with a strict look plastered across his face. Tobio moved quickly and stood next to the two seniors and the shorty. Daichi stood in front of them with his arms crossed. “Fortunately, he’s not punishing us.” Tobio felt his entire body lighten at those words. “Provided you all agree that you saw nothing.” Tobio didn’t think he was the only one that felt surprised at the words. He turned to Hinata just to see if the other boy had heard the same thing and by the shocked look the other boy was giving him, he supposed he did. “But you guys,” Daichi continued darkly.

 

“All because you couldn’t hit a serve! You suck!” Tobio snapped out as he turned to face Hinata. “What’s so different than last year?”

 

“You suck!”

 

“Hey!” Daichi yelled out. Tobio turned to the captain in surprise. “I want you to listen to me! I don’t know what your motive was for attending Karasuno. But I’m sure you came here with victory on your mind.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Tobio was surprised to find that his left hand was gripping his right forearm where there had been a good luck message there this morning. Apparently, it was the first day of the new term for his soulmates as well. “Of course!”

 

“Karasuno was one of the top teams in the prefecture till a few years ago.” Daichi told them. “It happened only once, but we even went to nationals. Now we rank, at best, in the prefectures top eight. We’re neither weak nor strong. Other schools call us things. Things like “fallen rivals” and the “crows that can’t fly”.  I remember well when Karasuno competed in spring nationals. Students from my neighborhood, I’d pass by high school students that competed against the countries best teams in a huge gymnasium in Tokyo. It gave me goose bumps. We’re going to go there again!”

 

Tobio stared at his new captain in shock. This was it. This was what he wanted. To go to Nationals. And to find others that wanted the same thing he did. People that would work as hard as he was to make it.

 

He was right to come here.

 

But still… “There are many schools dreaming of going to Nationals,” he said flatly. He didn’t want to get too excited. Every team in the prefecture was dreaming of the same thing. Only one got to go. Just because someone said they were going to go…doesn’t mean that they had the talent to do so.

 

“Don’t worry. I mean what I say.” Tobio’s lips twitched up. That was what he wanted to hear. As long as there were people willing to work for the goal, they had a chance. “For us to make that happen, our team has to be unified. And we can’t have the vice principal keeping an eye on us. I’m not telling you guys to become buddies,” Daichi commented, slowly moving forward. Tobio tensed. What was happening? “Even if you were enemies on opposite sides of the net in junior high, I need you to understand that now, you’re on the same side. Do you get it?”

 

Tobio shivered at the look on the captain’s face. He didn’t like it. At all.

 

Even Oikawa had never glared at him like that.

 

“No matter how outstanding you are,” Daichi started, slapping a hand down on Tobio’s shoulder. He flinched. “No matter how willing you are to give it your all,” a hand on Hinata’s shoulder. “If you fail to get along and hinder our teammates,” they were moving. “You’re not welcome!” Daichi snapped. Tobio froze as his sign-up form was thrown in his face.

 

This couldn’t be happening.

 

“Until you realize that you’re both teammates,” Daichi snapped, “you won’t be participating in this club!”  The door slammed in their faces.

 

Tobio stared at the closed door. No. No, this couldn’t happen. He couldn’t have just been kicked out of the volleyball club. He couldn’t have destroyed his one chance on the first day of high school. No.

 

“What does it mean to realize we’re teammates?” Hinata questioned in shock. “How do you do it?”

 

“I have no idea!”

 

“Please let me in! Please let me play volleyball! I’ll get along with Kageyama, too!”

 

Tobio clenched his fists as no answer came. “I apologize! I swear I’ll get along with this guy! Please let me participate in this club!” Tobio jumped back in surprise as the door slid open and an eye peered at him through the small crack.

 

_Well, that’s creepy._

“Are you sure you meant that?”

 

Did he? Could he? Probably not. But did he want to play? “If I had to cooperate with that guy in a match, I’d rather receive, spike, and toss all by myself.”

 

“How could you say that?” Hinata yelled out in indignation.

 

But Daichi was laughing. Was that a good thing? “I can’t believe you just told me your true feelings. But I think that’s a good thing. Still, in volleyball, you can’t drop the ball, you can’t hold the ball, and one player can’t touch the ball twice. How do you plan to play by yourself?”

 

Tobio scowled as Daichi slid the doors closed once more.

 

Apparently, it wasn’t a good thing.

 

“Let me ask you something,” came an eerie voice behind him. “Are you actually stupid?”

 

Tobio flinched at the words but managed to hide it quickly. They weren’t anything new, after all. He had heard them often enough. He sank down on the steps, ignoring the group of guys that came to the gym only a few minutes later. He had to find a way to get back in that gym. What would he have to do? He couldn’t leave and transfer. Not now. Not that he already started.

 

“The court and ball are in front of my eyes,” Hinata muttered. Tobio looked up to see the kid somehow hanging from the windowsill. “And it sucks that I’m not allowed in…”

 

“Dammit! I have no time to waste like this!” Tobio yelled out as he jumped to his feet. “I’m going to make them let me in!”

 

“You realize we’re teammates now?”

 

Dumbass.

 

“I’m a force to be reckoned with! That’s enough reason for me to be allowed on the team!”  


“Just what I would expect from the King-“Tobio glared as Hinata clapped a hand over his mouth. “What are you going to do?”

 

“I’ll challenge them,” Tobio said decisively. “To a two on two match. If we win, they have to let us in. If we team up then we’ll appear friendly not matter how we feel. That will speed things up.”

 

Hinata’s mouth dropped open. “We’re going to challenge our senpais? What if we lose?!”

 

_I can’t lose. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t!_

“We won’t lose. You have me on your side. You just need to do the best you can to not get in my way.” He didn’t have time for this. They needed to get back in that gym so he could start practicing. So they could make it to Nationals.

 

He listened in surprise as Hinata went on to explain that the only match he had participated in during junior high was the one against Tobio. Bad luck. And then he heard the boy mention practicing in random areas. Like hallways.

 

How odd.

 

“What are we going to do?” Tobio finally asked, “if we don’t go in together, they’ll slam the door.”

 

“If I can play volleyball,” Hinata started, “I can endure anything for a little while! No matter how obnoxious you are! I’ll do my best to keep from seeing you!”

 

Tobio snarled, “That’s my line, you idiot!”

 

The argument was broken up as a girl came in between them. Apparently, she wanted in the gym. Tobio figured that she must be the volleyball manager. He was proven right as that bald guy, what was his name again?, ran up and began to speak with her. Tobio rolled his eyes. The bald one was able to be in the club. Why was he wasting his practice time talking to some girl?

 

He fumed as the grey haired one moved forward and closed the door in their faces once more. “We’re getting back in that gym.”

 

“Agreed!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Long chapter! I hope you guys enjoy. If you do, please comment!

Well, he got the match he wanted. Of course, he didn’t expect it to be against the two other new first years. It was unexpected but it all worked out in the end. Not only had they won the game, he had also been able to confirm his belief that Hinata was a complete idiot.

 

An idiot that could hit his toss but an idiot, nonetheless.

 

He hit the ball _with his eyes closed_.

 

Who does something like that?

 

The two of them, as well as Tanaka, had practiced every morning and every night for days. Tobio had forced himself to actually listen to Hinata and try to work with him. He had listened to the advice Suga (his vice-captain and the current main setter) had given him. And they had won. They were on the team. So were the other two first years – Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

 

He wasn’t exactly happy that Tsukishima was there. That snarky bastard. At least he was tall.

 

He was breathing a sigh of relief when a man suddenly ran into the room. Tobio stared at him with a frown as the man doubled over with his hand on his knees. He really shouldn’t run if his stamina was that bad. “It’s decided! It’s decided!” The man gasped out loudly as he stood. His eyes were shining behind his glasses. “The practice match! It’s against one of the top four teams in the prefecture!” He breathed out with a bright smile. Tobio blinked at the words. _One of the top four teams? Who would want to have a practice match with us? Karasuno hasn’t been one of the top schools in years._ “Aoba Johsai High School.”

 

_No. Not them._

Tobio took a step back and shook his head. Maybe he heard that wrong.  He _had_ to have heard that wrong. They wouldn’t – why would _they_ want to have a practice game with Karasuno? It didn’t make any sense!

 

“The one nicknamed Seijoh?” Suga questioned in surprise.

 

_I knew it! They’ve never done this before! Why would they want a match now of all times?_

“Yikes,” Tsukishima muttered. _Damn. I hate agreeing with that bastard._

But Hinata didn’t seem to know any better. “A practice match with one of the top four!”

 

“Aoba Johsai,” Tobio muttered darkly, a certain setter flashing through his mind. The feel of his hand, tight on his shoulder. The wall at his back. The words that were growled at him. _“I hope you are not considering going to Aoba Johsai. You’ve already destroyed one of my teams. I’m not letting you destroy a second one.”_ He shivered and stared down at the gym floor. He didn’t want to see him again. Not this soon. Not yet. He wasn’t ready. He needed more time.

He was so into his own thoughts that he apparently missed the next part of the conversation by the man with the horrible stamina because Hinata leaned over into his personal space. “Who is he? A teacher?”

 

“I don’t know,” he responded, his mind still overtaken by floppy brown hair and hard eyes.

 

“I’m the volleyball club advisor starting this year,” the man said walking over toward them. “I’m Takeda Ittestu.”

 

“Hello.”

 

“I have no volleyball experience, so I can’t help you with your technique, but for anything else, I’ll do my very best,” Takeda said with a smile.

 

_Useless._

Daichi and Suga walked up then and Tobio listened in interest as the two boys asked how a powerhouse school agreed to a practice match with Karasuno. As soon as Takeda mentioned the fact that Seijoh had a condition, Tobio tensed. None of it made any sense. And the only person that would know anyone on Seijoh’s team was him. Would Oikawa really-

 

“Kageyama-kun must play setter the entire game.”

 

-he would. He really, really would.

 

“What’s this about?” Tanaka demanded. “It’s like they aren’t interested in Karasuno at all. They just want to assess Kageyama.”  


Yes. That is exactly what they wanted.

 

Well, exactly what _he_ wanted.

 

“Well, that’s not quite how it is.”

 

“Sounds good,” Suga commented and Tobio felt himself freeze. Suga. The team’s official setter. The person that he was going to be replacing in this practice game because of Seijoh.

 

Was this Oikawa’s way of sabotaging him even with Tobio not following him to Aoba Johsai?

 

“We don’t get a chance like this often,” Suga continued as Tobio continued to stare at him in horror.

 

Tanaka didn’t seem happy about the events either. “You’re going to agree to that, Suga-san? You’re the official setter of Karasuno, Suga-san!”

 

Tobio felt his hands clench at his sides. He wanted to play. But he couldn’t let what happened in Junior High happen again. He wanted…he wanted them to like him. He didn’t want Suga to be another Oikawa.

 

“I-“ Suga started as he looked up and met Tanaka’s eyes. “I want to see how effective Hinata and Kageyama’s attack will be against a top four team.”

 

Tobio felt his eyes widen in surprise. So…he wasn’t… angry? His mind flashed back to the game in Junior High his first year. The one where he was put in place of Oikawa. And what happened after. The feel of Oikawa’s hand gripping his uniform as he pulled his other hand back. Tobio closing his eyes in anticipation of the punch.

 

The disappointment on his mother’s face when she saw his school marks. The furious gaze focused on him when she saw the words on his arms. The sting of her hand against his face.

 

“Sensei, may we have the details?” Daichi asked.

 

Tobio shook the thoughts from his mind as Takeda answered. “Sure. The schedule is rather sudden but it’s set for Tuesday next week.” _Next week?!_ “It’ll be after classes, so there will only be time for one game. We’ll rent the bus after school. Make sure you aren’t late.”

 

“Yes,” they chorused though Tobio wanted to keep his own mouth shut.

 

He didn’t want to go.

 

He didn’t want to see them. Any of them.

 

Even Iwaizumi. He had always liked the older boy but this…this was too horrible.

 

Oikawa was going to destroy his high school volleyball career before it even started.

 

He waited until practice had finished and then followed at a slow pace behind his senior. He needed to do this but he kept thinking of the last time he tried to talk to his senior setter one on one. Even after only knowing Suga a couple of weeks, he knew he was nothing like Oikawa. But he had never thought Oikawa would be… like he was either. Maybe Suga was just hiding it. Regardless, he had to do this. “Sugawara–san!”

 

Suga turned in surprise as Tobio jogged toward him. “I have to play setter by default this time,” he told the older boy. “But from now on I will earn my place.” _Please don’t hate me because of Oikawa._

“Huh?” Suga questioned with a small smile. “Oh, I thought you weren’t concerned about me at all. I wasn’t expecting that.”

 

Now Tobio was confused. Why wouldn’t Tobio be concerned? “Why would you think that?”

 

“Because you’re superior to me in athleticism and talent,” Suga said bluntly and Tobio felt the anger burn in his chest at the words.

 

“You can’t make up for a lack of experience that easily!” He growled out as his mind once again flashed to another third-year setter. “And also…”

 

Tobio cut off as three voices called out to the older boy. They both turned sharply and saw Daichi walking toward them with Hinata and Tanaka. Tobio scowled and turned back toward Suga quickly. He had to say this. “I h-have to earn the t-t-trust of the other team members.” He forcefully shook his head to rid himself of the image of the ball falling onto the court, no one there to hit it. Of his team turning away from him. “Therefore, I will never give up!”

 

He was shaking as Suga stared at him with wide eyes. _Damn, was that too forward? Did he just blow it? Was this going to be a repeat of Junior High?_ “Yeah,” Suga said finally, a smile crossing his face. “I won’t give up either.” The smile slowly fell off of his face as his eyes stayed locked on Tobio’s, despite the fact that the other three were running toward them and yelling something about pork buns. “Aoba Johsai is where most of the athletes from Kitagawa Daiichi move on to, right?” He finally questioned and Tobio felt his entire body stiffen. He didn’t want to talk about this.

 

“You could say that,” Tobio confirmed anyway.

 

“So…” Suga continued, looking a little uncomfortable himself. “I’m just wondering if you might be uncomfortable with that.”

 

_Yes._

“I might be if they were on the same team,” he answered. Suga didn’t need to know of his previous issues with his teammates. “But if they’re my opponents, I’ll fight with all I’ve got.”

 

Tobio watched as a genuine smile crossed Suga’s face. “I see. I suppose you would.”

 

_…was that a compliment?_

That was when Tanaka decided it was time to cut into the conversation. “But are you alright with that, Suga-san? I…I just can’t accept that!”

 

They were already turning against him.

 

But Suga was still smiling, “Sure, I’m a little frustrated,” he said and Tobio felt himself wince. “But,” Tobio jumped in shock as the third year moved and placed a hand on his shoulder. Why was he touching him? “I also want to show them that Kageyama’s completely different from his junior high days.”

 

_…completely different…_

“That’s true,” Daichi showed up with bags of food in hand. “Plus, we’ll show them that Kageyama’s not the only one they need to worry about. Right, Hinata?”

 

The attention turned to the short boy only to see him stuffing his face full of food and not paying the slightest bit of attention. This was the guy he was supposed to play with? “Why are you eating first?!” He and Tanaka both yelled out. However, a man came out of the store beside them and yelled at them for being loud. Tobio apologized as he let Hinata’s shirt go. When had he even moved toward the other boy?

 

He quickly moved over toward Suga and asked for a curry pork bun. This was perfect. He had somehow run through the allowance for this week and he hadn’t been sure if he was going to find a way to eat anything for dinner. He probably had milk but he needed actual food as well. He would have to make sure to properly thank Daichi.

 

They moved into the store and Tobio focused on his food. It turned out he was able to not eat just one bun but two. He really, really needed to make sure to thank his captain. “Hey, Kageyama, after you’re done eating could I ask you something?”

 

“Sure,” Kageyama responded through a mouthful of food. What would they want to know?

 

“I was wondering about Hinata’s position for the upcoming practice match,” Daichi responded. “What do you think?”

 

Tobio put his food down as he focused his thoughts on the redhead and volleyball. “Middle blocker,” Tobio finally responded.

 

“Huh?”

 

“He’s fast. And he can jump. The way he moves – he’d be in a good position to use our quicks. And to draw the attention of the other team. Middle blocker. Decoy. The way he jumps around will confuse the other team and will let us make plays before they even know what’s going on.”

 

Daichi and Suga exchanged a quick glance and then Daichi slowly nodded. “Alright. If that’s what you think.”

 

The idiot better not mess this up.

 

Tobio hurried home shortly after he finished eating. The house, as always, was cold and silent. He didn’t even pause as he made his way past the main room. He was never in there. He usually focused on three rooms – his bedroom, the kitchen, and the bathroom.

 

The rest of the house might as well have never been lived in.

 

He moved toward his room and instantly moved toward his desk. He placed a disk into his computer and quickly pressed play. He then focused on the game in front of him the rest of the night.

 

After all, if he was going to beat Oikawa, he needed to know how their team worked.

 

It was the next day that Daichi revealed the set up for the practice match. Tobio made sure to keep his face blank as Daichi told Hinata that he would be a middle blocker. He didn’t want the other boy to know that he had anything to do with it.

 

But he did need to make sure that Hinata was aware he was also the decoy. It wouldn’t matter if the other boy didn’t do it right.

 

Apparently, he put too much pressure on the other boy. Oops.

 

They continued with practice and Tobio found himself sighing more and more as he worked with Hinata. It was a good thing the boy was quick. He sucked at everything else.

 

It was three days before the match that Tobio woke with his ankle aching. He gasped and threw he blanket off of himself as he looked down. It was swollen and irritated.

 

_What happened? Did I do something yesterday? Did I land wrong? Did I hit something? What the hell?! I have a match soon!_

He stood quickly, wincing when he placed pressure on his right foot. It hurt but it was like…a phantom pain.

 

You have got to be kidding.

 

Tobio looked at his bare arms quickly.

 

**What the hell?!**

_Oops! Don’t worry though! I’m fine!_

**This doesn’t seem to be fine!**

_Stop fussing. I’ll be able to play._

Tobio groaned. Why did the one with the pretty writing always seem to do something to hurt himself? There wasn’t time for Tobio to deal with this! With a frustrated cry, he pulled himself down the hall and into the kitchen to grab a cold wrap. Hopefully this would help calm it down so he could practice this afternoon.

 

It did indeed calm down enough that he could practice. His soulmate hadn’t been lying – this was nowhere near as bad as the knee. By the time practice came around the only thing he felt was a slight twinge when he jumped.

 

By the time Monday came around he was ready to play. Well, physically anyway. Mentally – well, he still didn’t want to do this. It was the first time in his life he didn’t want to play volleyball.

 

At least he was better than Hinata.

 

Tobio was staring in complete shock as the small redhead tried to put his jacket on – by stepping into it. “Kageyama, is Hinata going to be all right tomorrow?” Daichi whispered as Tobio continued to stare in complete shock at the other boy.

 

“Will he be alright?” Tobio answered. _No. No, I don’t think he will._ “What do you mean?” He asked instead.

 

“Hinata’s only experience is at that one match in junior high. I think he’s really anxious and worried because of that,” Daichi explained while Tobio continued to watch in horror as Hinata struggled to get dressed. “That’s why I think he might be nervous. “

 

“But everyone feels nervous-“ Tobio started before Suga jumped in with a glare.

 

“There, see? You make light of the anxiety we cowards feel!”

 

Tobio took a startled step back and had to freeze as he ran into the shelves behind him. He hated it when people snapped at him like that. He wasn’t trying to make light of what they were feeling, he just didn’t understand why _they_ would be so anxious.

 

“No matter what I say, it adds pressure,” Daichi sighed.

 

Tobio leaned against the shelves and crossed his arms over his chest protectively. They needed to understand. “You can’t help it at first,” he told them. Before he could say anything else his attention was drawn to Hinata. The boy was slowly making his way toward the door and Tobio was afraid the kid was actually going to pass out. “I think it’s best to leave him alone,” he finally said.

 

“I wonder,” Daichi sighed once more.

 

Tobio wondered if maybe he should have said something to Hinata. The boy had actually thrown up on Tanaka on the bus ride to Aoba Johsai and he looked as if he was going to pass out. Tobio let out a sigh as he took off his jacket and quickly checked his arms. No writing was visible. Good. He had cover up in his bag if something had been noticeable but it was always better when he didn’t have to use it. There was a chance on it rubbing off during the match. He was just lucky his soulmates had decided not to communicate today.

 

He let out a deep sigh as he saw Hinata trip over his own feet. It was bad enough that he and a few of the other guys had heard two of the other team commenting on their team. It was worse that one of those two was Kindaichi. But this – this was not good. He needed Hinata to be on his game for their strategy to work.

 

They lined up for the match and Tobio’s eyes traced over the team in front of him. Oikawa wasn’t here. How was Oikawa not here? His eyes landed on Iwaizumi who was also looking down the line. He finally rested on Tobio and the corners of his lips twitched upwards as he bowed his head slightly. Tobio bowed his own in return. He always liked Iwaizumi – he was the only third year during his first year of junior high that had even bothered with him. The others ignored him. Well, besides Oikawa. But Oikawa certainly had never been nice.

 

Where _was_ he?

 

They moved into their positions quickly and Tobio heard Kindaichi commenting on Hinata’s height. He smirked. Yes. Focus on Hinata.

 

“What’s Kageyama doing at Karasuno?”

 

That was Iwaizumi. Tobio stiffened. He didn’t need to listen to this. Instead, he focused on Hinata. The kid really needed to calm down. “Just like the three on three!” he told the still shaking boy.

 

“I-I know that!”

 

 _Right…_ “Are you sure?”

 

He didn’t have a chance to answer as the game began. The other team served first and the ball flew right toward the captain. But before he could get it, Hinata stumbled in his path and messily received it. “Idiot, that obviously wasn’t your ball!” Tobio couldn’t help but snap.

 

“I’m sorry!”

 

Tanaka moved in to spike and Tobio dove toward the ball as it bounced off the block. He cursed as the ball hit the floor before he could reach it. Tobio stood as he stared at Hinata. The boy was almost green.

 

_This guy…he’s completely overwhelmed._

He was proven correct as Hinata continued to make a complete mess of things. He slammed into Tanaka, almost tripped Tobio, and even ran into the ref stand. Ennoshita actually had to hold him back as he moved toward the smaller boy furiously. This was not how this was supposed to go! He was supposed to prove himself to his old teammates and Hinata was ruining everything!

 

After a few more mess ups from Hinata, Tobio couldn’t stand it anymore. He stormed toward the redhead and grabbed his jersey. “Hey, you! That’s enough nervousness!”

 

“Give me another chance!”

 

Daichi pulled the two apart and turned to Tobio. “Let’s get the points. The next up to serve will be-“ he trailed off as he realized what Tobio had already seen.

 

Hinata was up to serve.

 

_Well, this couldn’t be timed worse…_

Tobio turned and focused in front of him as Hinata moved into position. “Kageyama, is he still breathing? Can he do this?” Tanaka asked quietly beside him.

 

“How am I supposed to know?” Tobio snapped back. Could Hinata usually do this? Messily but yes. Could he do it right at this moment? Based on how he had been acting this entire game, no.

 

The whistle blew and Tobio prepared himself for Hinata’s serve to miss.

 

He didn’t prepare himself for the feel of the ball against his head.

 

The ball slammed into the back of his head and he felt himself begin to fall forward. He had to take a step to keep himself from hitting the ground. From somewhere across the net, he heard a muffled curse. But Tobio didn’t bother with that. Instead, he stood fully and turned toward the hellion that had been destroying their chances during this match.

 

Hinata was staring at him blankly. Apparently, he couldn’t believe it either. It was then that Tanaka and Tsukishima began to laugh, throwing in comments as they did so. It only enraged Tobio further. He was tired of people laughing at him.

 

Tobio began to move toward Hinata and the other boy slowly backed away, his hands up in the air, as he stuttered, “W-w-wait! Once we talk about this, you’ll understand!” The boy was shaking as Tobio continued to move forward. “Kageyama!”

 

Tobio moved forward until he was right in front of the boy. “Just wondering…” Tobio started, his voice low.

 

“Y-yes?”

 

“Why are you so intimidated?” Tobio asked, leaning closer and making his voice lower. If he needed to scare Hinata to get him to focus, he would do it. “Why are you so nervous? Is it because your opponents are tall? Is it because this is your first practice match?” He leaned closer with every question and watched as the boy’s eyes grew wider and wider. Tobio slowly brought his hand up and began to hit himself in the back of the head as he spoke. Each hit made his head ache as he continuously hit the spot the ball had slammed into a few moments before. He heard more cursing somewhere behind him. “There is nothing scarier than hitting a serve into the back of my head. Is there?”

 

“I can’t think of anything,” Hinata responded.

 

Tobio continued to hit his head, “In that case, you have no reason to be nervous any more, do you? Because you’ve already done it. The scariest thing possible.” He stopped hitting his head and pointed toward the court as he began to shout, “Get back to normal, you jackass!”

 

Tobio turned around and quickly moved into line with a scowl on his face. They had lost the first set. They just needed to win the second.

 

 Damn, his head hurt.

 

He heard Tanaka being “inspiring” as he talked to Hinata and Tobio had to roll his eyes. He was pretty sure Hinata was alright now. He didn’t need any more help. But then Tanaka said something that actually surprised him. “On this side of the net, everyone is your ally. It doesn’t matter if you’re lousy! It doesn’t matter if you’re a nuisance. You can slow us down. But to make up for those things…that’s why you have your team and your senpais!”

 

_Idiot. It was good until the end, anyway._

The next set started and Hinata was much calmer than he had been previously. Good. They could start now.

 

Or not.

 

Tobio had thrown the quick to Hinata…and he missed. Damn. “If you can’t spike a ball like that,” Kindaichi whispered toward Hinata. Whispered. Right. Tobio was obviously supposed to hear this. “The king will get mad.”

 

_Wait…didn’t Tanaka say Hinata ran into Kindaichi before the match. Did he…_

“Hinata!” Tobio said loudly, more loudly than he intended. Hinata jumped and turned toward him, Kindaichi smirking as his own eyes travelled toward him.

 

“You see?”

 

Tobio kept his face blank as he continued, “My bad. That toss was too high.”

 

He walked away with a smirk. He had seen the shock that had crossed Kindaichi’s face and the way Kunimi’s eyes had widened. “I guess I can forgive you!” Hinata squeaked. The smirk fell from Tobio’s face as he turned quickly and his hand shot out to grip Hinata’s hair. “Ouch! Ouch! Kageyama!”

 

“I already apologized, idiot!”

 

They moved back into position and Tobio knew what he needed to do. Hinata jumped and Tobio tossed it into Hinata’s hand. The ball flew forward, slamming onto the opposite court before any of the blockers knew what was happening. “Alright,” Tobio announced to his team. Hinata is back in action. Time for a counter attack.”

 

Tobio glanced to the other team and saw Iwaizumi staring at him with narrowed eyes. Tobio turned away from him quickly. Why was he looking at him like that?

 

It continued throughout the set.  Tobio forced himself to turn his attention away from the third year and onto the game. He didn’t know what was going on but Iwaizumi would have to wait. Maybe he was just studying him for Oikawa or something.

 

That seemed like something the other setter would have his soulmate do.

 

The set was going well, very well. The only hiccup was his little spat with Tsukishima. He really couldn’t stand that guy. What the hell did he mean that his tosses made him sick?!

 

It didn’t help when he and Tsukishima jumped to block one of Iwaizumi’s spikes. The ball slammed to the ground and Tobio couldn’t help but call out in happiness. Iwaizumi was staring at him from across the net, a smirk on his face. But then Tsukishima had to open his damn mouth.

 

“Hey, I’m the one that blocked it.”

 

Tobio forced his eyes away from Iwaizumi. “What? It hit my hand too!”

 

“That’s enough, you two!” Daichi screamed from behind them, making both Tobio and Tsukishima flinch.

 

“It did hit your hand,” Iwaizumi agreed from the other side of the net, earning himself a glare from Tsukishima and a confused frown from Tobio. But his attention quickly moved to the laughing boy a little way away from him.

 

“What are you grinning at?” Tobio snapped at Hinata.

 

“Kageyama! Stop it!”

 

They won the second set and Tobio felt extremely uneasy as they stood on the sidelines during break. “I’m glad they don’t have another serve-hitter like Kageyama,” Ennoshita commented and Tobio felt his anxiety kick in. He felt as if those words had just cursed them.

 

“Yeah,” Daichi responded with a smile. “I must admit our team is not good at receiving.”

 

“We can’t let our guard down,” Tobio cut in as his eyes darted around the room. “I’m thinking that maybe,” _definitely,_ “their setter wasn’t their main setter…”

 

He broke off as loud screams started to ring around the gym.

 

_No._

Tobio felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop open as he saw the person responsible for the screams. There he was. Oikawa Tooru.

 

“Oikawa, you’re back,” the coach commented. “How’s the ankle?”

 

_…ankle?..._

Tobio’s eyes flickered toward Iwaizumi to see his reaction. But the other boy was not staring at his soulmate. He was still watching Tobio. Tobio looked away quickly. What the hell was his issue?

 

“It’s fine. I can go back to regular practice,” Oikawa said with that fake smile of his. “It was just a light sprain.”

 

“For crying out loud, be careful!” The coach growled out. “You’re the one that asked to play against Kageyama. What do we do without our official setter?”

 

_I knew it!_

“I’m sorry,” Oikawa apologized before he smiled and waved at some girls yelling down at him.

 

Tobio felt a snarl cross his face. Why were these girls here, anyway?

 

“Kageyama-kun, who’s that nice guy?” Tanaka asked creepily and Tobio took a startled step back. “I find him unpleasant.”

 

_You and me both._

“He’s the captain of Seijoh,” Daichi answered instead.

 

“Oikawa-san is a super aggressive setter,” Tobio cut in. They needed to know more than the fact that he was the team captain. There was so much more to him than that. “His attack power is probably among the top of his team. And he’s got a terrible personality,” Tobio continued with a snarl.

 

“You’re saying that?” Hinata gasped and Tobio ignored the comment.

 

“Maybe even worse than Tsukishima.”

 

“Wow, he must be really bad.”

 

“Do you know him from Kitagawa Daiichi?” Tanaka asked.

 

“Yes,” Tobio answered, flashes of his first year running through his mind. “He was my senpai in junior high.”

 

It was at that moment that Oikawa turned toward them with that fake smile plastered on his face once again. “Long time no see, Tobio-chan?” He said with a wave. “Nice to see you!”

 

_Lie._

“You still doing the king thing?”

 

_Bastard._

Tobio didn’t bother responding to him. He turned back toward his team. “I learned serving and receiving by watching him,” he commented. “His skills are extremely high.” He saw Hinata blanch from the corner of his eye and he turned toward the other first year. He couldn’t freak out. Not again. “But we have to focus on the match now. We’re going to win the final set for sure.”

 

“Right.”  


Tobio turned around and saw Tanaka using that face of his to try and intimidate Oikawa. Tobio flinched. The one thing they didn’t need to do was piss him off. “Tanaka-san, please stop with intimidation!”

 

Oikawa smirked at him one last time before he turned and went to warm up. Tobio hurried to get into position. They needed to win this. Quickly. If they didn’t win before Oikawa got put into the game…well, there chances of winning decreased drastically.

 

They were focused and were winning the game easily. Well, not easily, but they were winning. They were close to winning it completely when Oikawa moved onto the court. Tobio cursed and wasn’t surprised with Iwaizumi looked at him with a smirk.

 

Tobio frowned and took a step back. He watched in apprehension as Oikawa pointed to Tsukishima. Just what was he planning? The ball few toward the blonde and Tobio knew that this was it. He had to shut it down quickly or Aoba Johsai would take this round. Oikawa got the ball back in hand and smirked, “Just as I thought. I watched part of the match…you, number 6, and you, number 5. You’re not good receivers, are you?” He asked with that sickly grin. Tobio’s entire body tightened at the sight. He knew that smile. It never meant anything good. “You must be first years. Okay, let’s score another one.”

 

And score he did, serving right toward Tsukishima.

 

“Oh, one more point and we’re tied,” Oikawa said brightly as he got the ball once again.

 

“Hey! You! Great King!” Tobio turned to Hinata, eyes wide. What the hell was he doing?! “Aim here! I’ll receive it! Don’t underestimate me! Aim here!”

 

_…idiot._

“Stop raising a fuss, it’s embarrassing!” Tsukishima snapped. It was probably the first time Tobio agreed with the blonde.

 

“What did you say?” Hinata growled. “In volleyball, everyone on this side of the net is your ally!”

 

Tobio fought back a smirk at the disgust on Tsukishima’s face. Trust Hinata to quote Tanaka at the irritating blonde.

 

“Alright, all of you scoot toward the back. Tsukishima, you go closer to the sideline,” Daichi commented.

 

They did as instructed and Daichi prepared himself for the serve he knew was coming. Tobio felt something like pride toward his captain – it wasn’t everyone that made himself vulnerable to Oikawa. “You can’t defend it by yourself!” Oikawa said as he served – once again toward Tsukishima. But he got it up this time and Tobio saw Oikawa smirk. The ball flew toward Aoba Johsai and Oikawa received it cleanly. The setter set it to Kindaichi and Tobio watched as Hinata was there to block it.

 

“It’s up!” Tobio yelled out as he ran forward to intercept it.

 

The second Hinata landed he took off to the other side of the net, ready to spike. _I can’t catch up to him if I’m one step, one second behind_ , Tobio thought. _The only thing I can do to catch him…_ He tossed the ball quickly, knowing Hinata would be there. And he was. Hinata hit the ball, spiking it right past Oikawa’s shoulder. Tobio felt a moment of pleasure at the pure shock on Oikawa’s face. For the first time, that fake smile was gone and the irritation was there for all to see as he turned slightly to look at the ball that was rolling on the floor.

 

Karasuno had won. Tobio hurried to the sideline where Takada was waiting and bowed toward him with the rest of his teammates. Takada gave a speech that might have brought tears to Tobio’s eyes for a moment. Or maybe that was the way Oikawa was still staring at them from across the court. Iwaizumi was standing next to him and seemed to be talking to him quietly. Tobio flinched as both their eyes fixated on him. Well, he finally had the attention he had craved from them in junior high…but he had a feeling it wasn’t a good thing.

 

He stepped out of the gym quickly to avoid their eyes and saw Kindaichi a moment later. He took a deep breath and moved forward. Maybe, just maybe, if he made up with Kindaichi…maybe he could at least start to repair things. He had been a friend at one point. “Kindaichi,” he said, intending to continue with his apology. But the moment he stood facing the other boy, that memory returned. Of him tossing the ball and no one being there to spike it. He shook his head and opened his mouth. He had to do this-

 

“Don’t apologize!” Kindaichi snapped loudly. Tobio jerked back at the words. “Because I won’t apologize either!”

 

Well, that wasn’t going to work. “Okay,” Tobio replied.

 

“You’re still an oppressive king, as far as I’m concerned,” Kindaichi continued. “You’re irritating, and there’s no one I want to crust more than you.”

 

“Yeah,” he could see that.

 

“So don’t apologize!”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’m not reconciling with you! We weren’t friends in the first place.”

 

 _We weren’t? Oh._ “Yeah.”

 

“And the next time, we’ll win for sure!” Kindaichi took a step forward.

 

Well, Tobio couldn’t agree with that. “The next time…” he broke off as he heard Hinata moving toward them, singing about going to the bathroom of all things. He saw Hinata around the corner and then duck back when he noticed Tobio and Kindaichi standing there. Tobio rolled his eyes and continued on, determined to ignore his teammate for the moment. “Kindaichi, the next time we battle, we will win again.” Kindaichi reared back and Tobio turned around walked toward Hinata.

 

“Did you cry?” Hinata asked cheekily.

 

Tobio frowned, “Of course I didn’t cry, idiot! Now go use the toilet!”

 

“You can’t fool me, Kageyama-kun!” Hinata said with a grin.

 

“Hinata, you dumbass!” Tobio cursed, smacking the other boy in the head.

 

He had hoped that that was it. That they would all be able to return home and he wouldn’t have to deal with Oikawa again until their next game together. He really should have expected Oikawa to be waiting for them at the gate. “Spoken like a true captain,” Oikawa said with a smirk. The entire team stopped moving at the imposing figure. “You know your stuff.” He gave them a haughty smirk and Tobi frowned as half of his team recoiled.

 

“The Great King makes his entrance!” Hinata said loudly. Tobio turned to him with a frown. _The Great King…?_

“You got a problem?” Tanaka asked Oikawa, walking forward with Hinata ducking behind him.

 

“Wanna fight, huh?” Hinata questioned. _Dumbass_.

 

“Don’t be so hostile,” Oikawa said, that fake grin once again plastered on his face. “You, little one,” Hinata paled, “your last one-touch and broad attack were amazing.”

 

“Oh…” Hinata said with a blush.

 

Tobio scowled when he saw the look on Oikawa’s face. It was the same look he would get right before he tore Tobio down during training in junior high. The look that always made Tobio feel like he wasn’t worth anything. “Let’s give it all we got the next time, right from the start,” Oikawa continued. “You didn’t get to see our set up. Oh, yes, and we’ll be improving our serves, too,” he said with a grin at Tsukishima. “It’s true, your offense was amazing but your receives aren’t polished. You’ll reach your limit very quickly. I’m not the only one who hits powerful serves.” He began walking forward, “The Inter-High preliminaries are coming up soon. Don’t get eliminated, okay?” He stopped right in front of Tobio. “Because I…” he pointed and Tobio blanched as the glare hit him full force. “…want to pulverize my dear underclassman, setter-on-setter, in an official match.”

 

Tobio’s gaze narrowed in on Oikawa. He was aware that Hinata had spoken but he didn’t know what the other had said. He was hyper focused on Oikawa. The other boy moved, walking right by Tobio, less than a hair between them and making Tobio flinch. It was after he passed that Tobio tuned back in, hearing Oikawa’s parting comment. “There’s not much time left till the tournament. I look forward to seeing you there.”

 

Tobio panicked as the boy disappeared. If his team let Oikawa into their heads, if they let him tear them down the same way he had done to him in junior high, everything they were working toward would be lost. “Please don’t listen. He likes to razz people like that.”

 

But Daichi laughed. Tobio wondered if Oikawa really had broken his captain. “It’s true. We don’t have much time before the Inter-High preliminaries. But he should be coming back soon.”

 

“Who’s coming back?” Hinata questioned.

 

“The Guardian Deity of Karasuno,” the captain answered, making Tobio’s brow furrow in confusion.

 

_The what now?_

 

Tobio stayed quiet as they went back to Karasuno and began to clean the gym. Just why was Iwaizumi so focused on him during the game? Yes, they had known each other years ago but he didn’t think he had ever seen the third year that focused on anything. Tobio shook himself out of the thoughts as he made sure Hinata didn’t fall asleep standing up and then went to the store down the street for buns… but they were out. The man at the counter threw them bars and Tobio bowed in thanks. He had panicked for a moment, wondering what he was supposed to eat that night. A power bar was better than nothing.

 

He walked home with the other club members, eating quickly and listening as Tanaka questioned why Tobio was at Karasuno. He answered truthfully that he had never received a recommendation to enter Shiratorizawa and had failed the entrance exam. He explained that Coach Ukai had been the reason he joined Karasuno, but Suga explained that Coach Ukai had collapsed and wouldn’t be coaching them.

 

He kept the rest to himself. That his original plan had been to enter Aoba Johsai and he had decided against it after the championship game and the words from Oikawa. He had decided to get into Shiratorizawa because of the rivalry. Because Oikawa would be forced to see that he had changed if he beat him. But when that failed as well, Karasuno had seemed like his best bet. He thought that with Coach Ukai, there would be a chance that they would make it to Nationals. That was the goal, after all. He needed to forget about this stupid _thing_ with Oikawa and focus on getting to Nationals so he could finally meet his soulmates.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys, thank you so much for the responses to last chapter! You're all awesome! I hope you enjoy this one just as much - make sure to let me know!

After the practice match, Tobio took time off of his usual routine to go to the store and get some food for the house. Not much, he usually just grabbed something on the way to practice in the morning and ate lunch at the school, but he couldn’t keep relying on his senpais to buy him food every night after practice. He didn’t really know how to cook but he could easily make a sandwich or one of those meal things you just had to heat up.

 

He stocked up, getting enough to last him at least a couple of weeks, and then made sure to put the food in its proper place. It would just be a waste of money if it spoiled.

 

Thanks to his little shopping trip, he found himself at the school after Hinata. The boy shot him a mocking grin as he walked in and Tobio scowled. It wasn’t as if he could just come here at anytime of the day. He had things to do!

 

He was practicing his serve when it happened. He had just served the ball when something flew into his line of sight and picked up the ball as if it was nothing. Tobio stared at him in shocked surprise.

 

_That was a perfect serve receive!_

The boy looked to be around the same height as Hinata with dark, spiky hair. Well, most of it was dark. A section right at the front was a sandy brown color.

 

Why would anyone do that?

 

Tobio watched as Hinata moved forward slowly. He came to stand next to the boy and…wait…was he actually…

 

“You’re shorter than me!”

 

Yes. Apparently, he was.

 

Huh.

 

The boy reacted instantly. “Huh?! What did you just say?”

 

_This guy is louder than Tanaka._

“I-I’m sorry!” Hinata stuttered and Tobio felt his lips twitching. It was always funny to see someone other than him yelling at Hinata. “Uh, how tall are you?”

 

“I’m 159 cm!”

 

_Wow. So, he is shorter than Hinata._

“It’s the first time I’ve looked down on someone since I started high school activities!” Hinata exclaimed and Tobio shook his head at the idiot.

 

“Don’t weep with joy about it!” The boy snarled. “You’re not looking down that far!”

 

It was at that moment that Tanaka, Daichi, and Suga walked into the gym. Tanaka yelled out the moment he saw the boy and Tobio knew that his suspicions had to be correct. This was the boy Daichi had been talking about. The Protector of Karasuno. The libero.

 

“This is Nishinoya, second year,” Daichi introduced the boy.

 

“Hi! You guys are first years, huh?” Tobio blinked. The boy was all smiles now, gone was the irritated frown he had been sporting just moments before. “You, the guy that was serving! The tall guy with the nasty glare!”

 

_Excuse me?_

“What junior high are you from?!” he questioned loudly, his finger almost hitting Tobio in the face as he pointed toward him. Tobio fought back a flinch.

 

“Kitagawa Daiichi.”

 

“Seriously?! That’s a power school! No wonder you serve like that. We played against you guys and lost 2 to 1!”

 

_2 to 1? They won a set against us? Who is this kid?!_

“Your serve was amazing then too!” Wow, this guy could talk.

 

Tobio stared at him, still confused about the previous comment. He didn’t remember this guy. “What school were you from, Nishinoya-san?”

 

“Chidoriyama!”

 

Tobio blinked in surprise. What the hell was this guy doing at Karasuno? He should have been able to get into Aoba Johsai or even Shiratorizawa! “That’s a power school. Why did you come to Karasuno?! Because you heard that Coach Ukai was coming back?” Was this guy like him?

 

“No. I came to Karasuno because…because I like the girl’s uniforms.”

 

_…what…_

“And the girls have lived up to my expectations!” He continued happily as Tobio felt his hopes crash down around him. “And above all, because of the boy’s uniform. In black! I wore a blazer in junior high, so I admired this uniform! It’s not brown or grey, but black!” Tobio didn’t think the older boy was even talking to him anymore. He seemed to be focused on Tanaka and getting him to agree with him. Which, of course, he did.

 

“I know what you mean!”

 

“Karasuno has black uniforms, and the girl’s uniform is cute. The school’s close to home. It was a no brainer!” Nishinoya proclaimed proudly. The second years head snapped to the side when the door slid open. Tobio blinked in surprise as the libero took off running toward their manager, yelling all the while about how excited he was to see her. She responded by slapping him across the face.

 

Tobio’s entire body tensed at the sound. A familiar sound. A sound that brought forth memories of pain and furious words. He stared as Nishinoya walked toward them, a bright red hand print on his cheek. But the boy was smiling. Why would he be smiling? Didn’t he know that being hit meant that he did something wrong? Tobio really didn’t understand this second year.

 

“Where is Asahi-san? Did he come back?”

 

There was silence throughout the gym and Tobio turned his eyes forcefully away from the red mark toward his senpais. Who was Asahi-san?

 

Suga wasn’t meeting anyone’s eyes and Daichi was shaking his head. Was it someone on the team? Had they quit? Or were they suspended like Nishinoya? Tobio watched as a yelling match began between Nishinoya and Tanaka. Apparently, Nishinoya was extremely upset that this Asahi didn’t return to the club. And Tanaka was yelling at his…friend?...for the way he was talking about this person.

 

Tobio was confused.

 

If he wasn’t here, why did it matter?

 

He then watched as Nishinoya left the gym, refusing to join the club if this Asahi person wasn’t a part of it.

 

Which made him even more confused. Nishinoya obviously liked volleyball. How could he just give it up because of one person? Shouldn’t he be focused on himself and his own talent and dreams?

 

Hinata hurried after the boy and Tobio let out a deep sigh. Great. They needed a libero if they wanted to make it to Nationals. If this Nishinoya was going to drop out of the club, they needed to find someone else.

 

And he didn’t know who that person could be.

 

Hinata returned about thirty minutes later with Nishinoya in tow. Apparently, the other boy was still refusing to join the club, but he had agreed to help Hinata with his receiving. Tobio didn’t dare step in – Hinata needed all the help he could get.

 

“So essentially,” Nishinoya told the first year, “you go zip, then whoop, and pow. Like that.”

 

Tobio turned toward Hinata to make sure he was paying attention only to see Hinata’s head tilted in a way that showed his confusion. And he wasn’t the only one. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had the same looks. Hell, even Tanaka was staring at his friend like he was talking another language. Tobio frowned in confusion. Why did they all look like that? It seemed simple enough to him.

 

“It’s no good,” Tanaka commented from his place beside Tobio. “He can’t explain it because he moves purely on instinct.”

 

“Really?” Tobio responded, “I understood what he was saying.”

 

“Because you do the same thing!” Tanaka snapped in annoyance. “When you explain something all you say is ‘pow’ and ‘whoa’ and stuff. Nobody else understands you.”

 

Tobio felt his mouth drop open. Oh. Was that the problem? They didn’t understand him? Was that his problem back in junior high? Did they not know what he was saying? Could…could most of the issues they had been some sort of…misunderstanding?

 

Nishinoya turned his attention to the rest of the first years and his eyes instantly narrowed in on Tsukishima. “You, I’ve noticed your height,” he said, pointing at Tsukishima’s head. “How tall are you?”

 

Yamaguchi jumped in instantly, “Tsukki is- “

 

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

 

“Sorry, Tsukki.”

 

Tobio rolled his eyes and wandered away from the rest of the first years. He didn’t need to work on his receives, anyway. Not as much as they did, anyway. Anything he needed to learn, he could do on his own. Or with videos.

 

But he didn’t get far before he was pulled back by Hinata. “We should ask him who that person they were arguing about earlier is,” the boy whispered as Nishinoya continued to irritate Tsukishima.

 

“If you want to know, you ask,” Tobio responded just as quietly. He didn’t want to ask. It seemed like Nishinoya and Hinata had come to an understanding of sorts anyway.

 

Hinata frowned but waited until Nishinoya finally stopped commenting on Tsukishima’s height before asking. “Earlier you were talking about Asahi-san. Who is he?”

 

_Well, you probably could have brought that up another way._

 

“Don’t say that name carelessly!” Tanaka snapped from where he had been standing across the gym.

 

Nishinoya’s happy expression instantly faded. “He’s Karasuno’s ace, for what it’s worth,” the boy responded.

 

“Ace?”

 

_We have an ace? Then where the hell is he?!_

“What’s with that empty-headed look?” Nishinoya questioned Hinata.

 

“I…want to be the ace.”

 

“Ace? With your height?” Tobio saw Hinata’s shoulders drop and he wondered if he should step in. But Nishinoya clapped a hand on the redhead’s shoulder and smiled brightly. “I like you. You want it because it’s awesome, right? Good, good. Do it! Become the ace. You’d be far more impressive than our current ace.”

 

_Well, that doesn’t sound promising._

“But then again, it’s the ace that inspires you,” Nishinoya continued and Tobio vaguely wondered if this guy ever stopped talking.

 

“Aces are awesome!”

 

Tobio felt his eyes narrow as one of the two idiots made a comment about setters being boring. Suga was by his side instantly, trying to calm him. Nishinoya only rose slightly in his mind when he told Hinata that it was great to be the decoy.

 

At least he wasn’t completely filling Hinata’s head with crap.

 

The only real thing that Tobio took away from practice that day was that the team would have a great libero – if they could get him to play. And the only way they were going to get him to play was by getting the teams ace to rejoin the team. So, he would do what needed to be done.

 

He was a little surprised that Hinata had the same idea. It was for different reasons but what the hell? If Hinata wanted to come with him to meet this Asahi person then Tobio would let him. He was more personable than Tobio anyway.

 

However, even Hinata didn’t seem to be able to change the third years mind. Suga explained to the two that he thought Asahi had lost his love for the game. Tobio didn’t think that was possible. Even after wat had happened to him the previous year, he still loved volleyball more than anything. But he wasn’t going to waste his time trying to talk someone into playing if they didn’t want to play. Better they find someone that wanted to work hard and help them win. They needed an ace. So, they needed to find one.

 

Tobio watched his teammates during practice. Tanaka was the best bet for the ace position. He had a lot to learn and he needed a bit more experience, but he was the only one that could possibly fill the role. He was still wondering how he should bring the topic up when Takeda ran into the gym. “Good job, everyone!” the man said. Apparently he was getting in better shape. He wasn’t panting from the run anymore. “I want you to listen up!”

 

Tobio moved to face the teacher, as did the rest of the team. He wondered what this was about.

 

If it was another practice match with Aoba Joshai he was going to be really upset.

 

“We’re doing it again this year, aren’t we?” The teacher questioned Daichi breathlessly. “The Golden Week training camp?”

 

Daichi confirmed, “Yes. We still need a lot of practice.” He seemed just as worried about the teacher as Tobio. He really did hope the man was getting enough air.

 

_Well, I can’t argue with that._

“One more thing,” Takeda said with a bright smile. “For the last day of Golden Week…I’ve arranged a practice match!”

 

Tobio felt is entire body tense as the rest of the team yelled out happily. It wouldn’t be them, right? He didn’t think that they would set up another match so soon. But, well, he never knew the way Oikawa’s mind worked. And considering that the third year hadn’t really had a chance to play them himself…well, who knew what he would do.

 

“Awesome! Very impressive!” Tanaka yelled out happily.

 

“Who’s our opponent?” Suga asked.

 

“A venerated school in Tokyo. Nekoma High School.”

 

Oh. Tobio’s shoulders fell forward as he relaxed. Well, okay then. Maybe he could be a little excited.

 

“They call themselves Neko,” Takeda continued.

 

“We’ve heard a lot about them,” Tanaka told the first years. “Our former coach and theirs were rivals. We played each other often.”

 

“That’s right,” Suga confirmed. “Those famous matches were called ‘Cat vs Crow: Battle at the Garbage Dump’.”

 

Tsukishima rolled his eyes, “You sure those matches were famous?”

 

“They’ve refused us for a while,” Daichi commented, ignoring the blond’s snarky comment. “Why now?”

 

“I’ll tell you the details later,” Takeda responded, “But after I heard about that rival school, I had to arrange for a rematch of destiny.”

 

Tobio let out a deep sigh. They weren’t ready for another practice match. They needed the practice, that was sure, but until they had a libero and an ace…it was all pointless.

 

But the news seemed to rev everyone up and they began to practice just as hard as they had before their match against Oikawa. Thinking about Oikawa made him think of Iwaizumi. What had the other boy been staring at him for? Was he right that he was…taking notes on him for Oikawa? But then why did he keep watching him after Oikawa arrived? Was there another reason? Did he know that Tobio had been offered a spot at their school? Was he upset with him for something? Did it have something to do with Kindaichi or Kunimi?

 

Or about his last year in junior high?

 

Was he just as upset with Tobio as Oikawa was?

 

Somehow, Tobio found himself being pulled to the third-year hallway once again the next day. Hinata was convinced he could get Asahi to join the team. Tobio wasn’t so sure.

 

He was surprised that night at practice. Apparently, they now had a coach. And a practice game with a bunch of old guys from the neighborhood.

 

Whatever. They would still win. No matter who their opponent was.

He had to eat his own words a few hours later.

 

Not only had Nishinoya joined in on the game, so had Asahi. And the “old guys” were in their mid twenties and completely wiped the floor with them. Which just proves that they had a lot of work to do.

 

The next few weeks flew by and Tobio suddenly found himself at the training camp. He briefly wondered if his mother would stop by the house that week. He had left a note on the table letting her know where he was but he didn’t think she would really care. He was more worried that she would come to drop off his money and then leave with it when she knew he wasn’t there. He needed a new pair of shoes for volleyball and he had been saving what little he had left over each week. With being at camp and most of his food provided, he should be able to save all of his weekly allowance this time.

 

And then it was time for the game against Nekoma. Tobio was fascinated with their setter. He was smart, so smart. Smart enough that he might actually be able to out strategize Oikawa. He wasn’t anywhere close to Oikawa’s playing style but…

 

There was a lot Tobio could learn from the second-year setter.

 

Too bad the older boy ran away when he tried to speak to him.

 

They lost every game they played against Nekoma and it just confirmed what Tobio already thought. They weren’t ready. But now he wasn’t the only one that was aware of that.

 

The practices intensified after the Nekoma match. And Tobio was glad of it. They needed to win. His wasn’t the only team that had been practicing harder than before. His soulmates seemed to be doing the same, judging by the multitude of bruises and the writings that decorated his body. It seemed that the one with the pretty writing had a habit of overworking himself. The other was always reprimanding him for it. But Tobio understood. He wanted to be the best and to be the best, they had to practice.

 

Then, finally, it was time for the Inter-High. Tobio knew that they could make it. They had the talent. They had worked hard to perfect their plays. They could do it.

 

He was standing in the gym beside Hinata when his head suddenly exploded in pain. He fell forward, head in his hands, as his teammates began to crowd around him. “Kageyama? Are you okay?”

 

“-what’s happening?”

 

“Is he alright?”

 

“Kageyama- “

 

The pain disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared and Tobio slowly rotated his head to make sure everything was okay. It seemed to be. The sharp pain had faded into a dull ache. “Kageyama? Are you okay?”

 

“Fine,” Tobio muttered as he pushed himself to his feet slowly, just in case the pain decided to return.

 

_What the hell was that? It felt like that time Hinata served into the back of my head!_

The lingering ache had just disappeared when Hinata exclaimed, “Hey, its turnip head!”

 

Tobio’s neck turned so fast he was afraid he might have damaged something. Hinata was right. Aoba Johsai was walking into the stands. Tobio blinked in surprise as Kunimi seemed to chuckle at Hinata’s words and Kindaichi seemed confused. He felt a pang in his chest at the sight. But Tobio’s attention was quickly taken by something else.

 

“Yoohoo!” _Shit._ Tobio turned just slightly and flinched when he saw Oikawa leaning over the railing, the smile and peace sign being directed at him. Fantastic. He swallowed when he saw Iwaizumi’s gaze also fixated on him from where he stood just behind Oikawa. “Tobio-chan! Chibi-chan! How’s the freak duo doing?”

 

_Why does everyone call us that?_

Hinata said something but Tobio didn’t hear it as his head once again rocked with pain. He winced and let his head fall into his hands as he dropped the volleyball he was holding. _What the hell are they doing?! I bet it’s the pretty writing one. They always seem to be doing something to cause problems…_

“Kageyama? Are you okay? Are you sick?! You can’t be sick!” Hinata called frantically but Tobio merely shook his head and tried to once again push the pain aside and focus. Oikawa had moved to take a seat a little way away from the rest of his team but Iwaizumi was still standing by the railing, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Tobio.  “Come on!” Hinata said loudly, gripping Tobio’s jersey and pulling him toward Coach. “We have to go! Forget about the Great King!”

 

_For once, it isn’t the Great King that’s worrying me._

 

The first match went fairly quickly and easily enough that Tobio wasn’t worried. But he could feel the weight of Oikawa’s eyes on him the entire time. He just knew every play he made, every time he served, the older boys’ eyes were locked on him. Judging him.

 

He didn’t like it.

 

Not to mention that every time he glanced at the stands, Iwaizumi was staring at him as well. On more than one occasion he actually found himself forgetting what he was doing as he stared back at the two boys. Luckily for him, no one on their team seemed to notice. It was just luck that he was still able to move his team forward.

 

It was also luck that they had a game at the same time as Karasuno played Date Tech. Yes, they were playing on the court beside the one Tobio was currently on with his team, but he found it easier to concentrate when he knew the other two boys were focusing on their own game – even if there had been a few occasions where he slipped. And a couple of times where he saw one of the two watching him. But the longer he played, the more attentive he was on his own game. They had to win this. Had to make it through.

 

And they did.

 

Aoba Johsai was still playing after Karasuno and Tobio found himself ushered into the stands to watch the match. Whoever won would be there opponent, after all.

 

Though, in truth, he didn’t think any member of their team thought it would be someone other than Aoba Johsai.

 

Now that Tobio found himself free to do so, he became engrossed on the game in front of him. Oikawa was just as great of a setter as he had ever been. Iwaizumi was even more impressive than he had been during the practice match. It wasn’t surprising, considering how long he and Oikawa had been playing together, but Tobio was still enthralled in the dynamic the two of them showed together.

 

And nervous.

 

Very, very nervous.

 

He stared at Oikawa intensely as the other boy served. No matter how many times he saw it, it still stunned him. He had worked on his own jump serve for years now but he could never match the power or accuracy of the third year.

 

“How do I put this…” Suga started from where he sat beside Tobio. “They have a very smooth transition.”

 

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san, the #4 on the left, apparently have been on the same team since grade school,” Tobio answered the unspoken question. “They’re linked in that way. They’re also soulmates.”

 

“They are?” Suga questioned, surprised eyes turning back toward the floor. “Oh, well, I guess that makes things a bit more difficult for us.”

 

Tobio nodded. He wasn’t sure what stage Oikawa and Iwaizumi were on in their relationship but the two knew each other so well he wouldn’t be surprised if they were able to read one anothers emotions. It made for a very interesting combination when they were on the court.

 

“The Great King is so awesome!” Hinata yelled out. “I want to hurry up and play him!”

 

“Yeah!” Noya joined in just as loudly. “I hope he aims his serves at me!”

 

_Why would anyone wish that? I knew the two of them were insane._

“Noya-san is awesome, too!”

 

“Look, Shoyou!” Noya yelled as he leaned over the railing and pointed to something on the court. “A TV crew is here!”

 

“TV? Awesome! I want to be on TV too!”

 

The next moment boy Noya and Hinata were reprimanded for being loud. Tobio smirked as the man referred to them as grade school kids. Well, they were certainly short enough.

 

Aoba Johsai won the set and Tobio found himself watching Oikawa once more. The way he spoke with the team – the way they all treated him – he wondered if he would ever be able to be like that. If he would ever have the respect of his team the way Oikawa had with his. The longer he watched, the more inferior he felt.

 

Oikawa really was an amazing setter.

 

Tobio lay on his bed that night, tossing a volleyball into the air. Tomorrow they would be playing Aoba Johsai in an official match. He would be playing against Kindaichi and Kunimi, two people that had been his teammates for three years. The only two people he had ever really considered to be his friends, even if they didn’t think of him in the same way. Against Iwaizumi, the one senior that had looked out for him. Against Oikawa. The one he had respected and strived to be like.

 

Tomorrow, they would finally see who was better.

 

He let out a deep sigh and let the volleyball roll off of the bed and onto the floor. When he did, he saw words slowly appear on his hand. That was odd. They usually made sure to write on their arms. Tobio figured it was so no one else would see the communication. It had always been a blessing to him when his mother was around.

 

But, he guessed that didn’t matter anymore.

 

**Good luck tomorrow.**

_Eh? We don’t need luck!_

**Who said I was talking to you?**

_EH?!!!!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, everyone! This story has had a great response! I'm so thankful that you all enjoy it so much! And thanks to the people that gave it a chance even though it's a pairing they don't usually enjoy. There were a few of you that mentioned that and I wanted to let you all know I appreciate it. Alright, new chapter! As always, let me know what you think!

Tobio didn’t know what was happening. Had he done something that alerted one of them that he was alive? He couldn’t really think of anything out of the ordinary. Nothing more than the usual things that had happened for years, anyway. What had he missed?

 

He didn’t know what to say. Should he say anything? Had it just been a guess? Had one of them just…suspected something and decided to see if anyone responded? Had it not meant anything at all? Had he just written that last sentence to tease the other boy?

 

That had to be it.

 

There wasn’t… they couldn’t know he was there.

 

Anyway, he couldn’t think about that right now.

 

They had a game to win.

 

Tobio watched as Daichi moved forward to shake hands with Oikawa. This was it. He was finally going to play a real game with his former senpai. With the person he had made it his goal to be like. The person he had deemed to be the best in his division. The person he had wanted to learn from.

 

He was a horrible person but no one could doubt he was good at volleyball.

 

“Kageyama!” Tobio turned quickly with wide eyes. He knew that voice. Iwaizumi was standing just on the other side of the net and was motioning for him to come over. He even had a smile on his face. “Good luck.”

 

_Huh?_

“…good luck to you as well, Iwaizumi-san,” Tobio finally replied, bowing slightly before he took a few steps toward the ace.  The smile on Iwaizumi’s face seemed to grow as he did so.

 

Tobio was really confused.

 

“Oikawa-kun! Do your best!” A group of girls screamed from the stands. Tobio turned toward them, brows furrowed, as members of his team (namely Noya, Tanaka, and Hinata) began to shout in jealousy. Why were they screaming like that? Didn’t they know Oikawa and Iwaizumi were soulmates? Didn’t that mean they should leave Oikawa alone?

 

He turned back around as Iwaizumi let out a loud scoff. “I’ll never understand it,” he said as Tobio turned back toward him. Oh. At least he wasn’t the only one. “They know Oikawa and I are…well, I don’t know why they follow him around all the time. If he wasn’t my soulmate, I’d stay as far away as possible.”

 

Tobio brought his hand up quickly to cover his laugh. Iwaizumi’s lips twitched at the sight before he turned his head at the loud “Iwa-chan!” that cut off the conversation. Oikawa’s lips were pulled back in a snarl as he saw his soulmate standing there talking to Tobio. Tobio couldn’t turn his eyes away from his former senpai. Why did Oikawa always look so angry when he was around? What did he do to make the other boy hate him so much?

 

Iwaizumi sighed loudly and Tobio finally managed to tear his eyes away from the setter stomping toward them. “Let’s have a good game, Kageyama. Don’t let Oikawa get to you.”

 

Tobio nodded once to show he understood before he hurried over toward his team. He didn’t want to have a confrontation with Oikawa this soon. Especially not if it was because the older boy was upset with him for talking to Iwaizumi. He didn’t want to deal with that.

 

Karasuno quickly completed their warm ups and then Oikawa and his team moved forward. Tobio stood on the sidelines and watched in interest as Oikawa set for each member of his team and then seemed to give them some sort of commentary. Most of the team seemed pleased with whatever Oikawa said. However, Iwaizumi seemed to be upset. Well, more than upset. Kindaichi was holding the older spiker back from attacking Oikawa.

 

_I wonder what Iwaizumi-san would do if he managed to get away from Kindaichi. Would he actually attack Oikawa-san?_

Tobio shivered at the thought and wrapped his arms around his sides. He liked Iwaizumi. He had always been nice to him. He had stopped Oikawa back in junior high from hitting him. But Tobio’s mom had always been nice too. Until he made her angry. Then she wasn’t nice anymore.

 

Hinata’s hand came to wrap around Tobio’s wrist and Tobio realized that the rest of the team, as well as Aoba Johsai, had begun to line up. Tobio shook Hinata’s hand off quickly and hurried to his place in line. He let his eyes wander over the opposing team, swallowing hard when he saw both Kunimi and Kindaichi staring back at him. He didn’t understand the looks they were giving him and he wasn’t sure that he wanted to. He moved on quickly, meeting Iwaizumi’s eyes next. The ace quirked up his lips in a half smile and Tobio wondered for probably the millionth time why the older boy seemed to be so interested in him. Finally, Tobio looked to the very side. Oikawa. This was it.

 

_I’m going against him in an official match for the first time. I can do this._

The two teams separated and moved toward the two coaches’ only moments later. “Hey, Tobio-chan!” Tobio turned on instinct in reaction to the voice. Oikawa was staring at him, a smirk on his face and his hands on his hips. “I came here excited to take down a genius setter, so do your best and hold on.”

 

_I have no idea what he means by that._

But he needed to respond. If he didn’t, Oikawa would take that as a win. He couldn’t let him win. “We will win-“

 

“We won’t lose!” A loud, familiar yell cut in. Tobio wasn’t surprised to see a certain redhead jump in front of him, blocking his view of Oikawa with his gravity defying hair.

 

“Don’t butt in when I’m talking, Hinata, you jackass!” Tobio yelled. This wasn’t Hinata’s problem. This was Oikawa. This was up to Tobio. He moved forward to swat at the other boy’s head, knowing full well that Hinata would move out of the way before he could touch him. He was nothing if not quick. “We won’t lose this time either!” Tobio said loudly when Oikawa was once again visible.

 

“We’ll see,” Oikawa declared before turning on his heel and moving toward the rest of his teammates. Tobio watched as the older boy came to stand beside Iwaizumi, their arms pressed together as Iwaizumi said something to Oikawa before glancing over his shoulder toward Tobio. He smiled once more and Tobio turned away swiftly.

 

Iwaizumi had never smiled at him like that. That was the smile that he reserved for those close to him. For Oikawa. Tobio shouldn’t be seeing that smile directed at him.

 

Hinata was once again wrapping his hand around Tobio’s wrist and pulling him across the court. “Come on!” He said loudly, “Stop staring at the Great King!”

 

Tobio felt himself flush as his teammates started to laugh. Ukai cleared his throat pointedly and the laughter slowly tapered off until all that was left was small smiles and serious eyes. Takeda began to speak and Tobio was sure it was something inspiring. He didn’t understand it but the others seemed to be interested.

 

The game started with Tsukishima’s serve. Kunimi received it cleanly and Tobio watched as the ball soared toward Oikawa.

 

_It’s been a while since I’ve seen Oikawa-san’s set up close. Who will he send it to? Iwaizumi-san?_

But he didn’t. Instead, Oikawa moved from a set position and spiked the ball himself. Tobio stared in shock as the ball hit the floor. _A setter dump?!_

He looked up at the face across from him only to see Oikawa smirking back. “I’ll be doing the same thing again,” Oikawa said lightly as he turned his back on them. “Don’t stand there so out of it. Pay attention.”

 

Tobio glared as Oikawa stopped and said something to Iwaizumi. He vaguely heard Hinata making some commotion beside him, Tanaka also chiming in, but he continued to stare at the interaction between Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They seemed to be so…comfortable together.

 

He wondered if he and his soulmates would be like that.

 

“Kageyama! Snap out of it!” Daichi said from behind him. “We’ll get the point back!”

 

Tobio scowled at the reminder of the setter dump. Oikawa was going to pay for that.

 

He set the ball for Hinata only for it to get picked up. Oikawa jumped in an obvious position to spike…no, that wasn’t right. Oikawa wouldn’t be that obvious. He would…

 

Tobio jumped but it was too late. The ball had already been set to Iwaizumi and the ace had already sent it over the net. Tobio scowled once again as he landed hard on his feet. Iwaizumi just shrugged at him from across the net before turning to look at Oikawa. “That was a little low,” Tobio heard him tell the other boy.

 

_Huh? No, it wasn’t…_

“Really?” Oikawa asked. Tobio could tell by the tone of his voice that he was just as surprised as Tobio. “Sorry about that. But, Iwa-chan, you usually hit it regardless.”

 

“We’ll get the next one!” Daichi encouraged him before walking over toward Hinata and Tanaka. Tobio felt himself flush as his captain told the two that their setter was just as skilled and flashy as Oikawa.

 

_I wouldn’t say flashy…_

But the words certainly made Tobio feel better to know his team trusted in him.

 

Which is why he felt it a good time to do his own setter dump.

 

He met Oikawa’s eyes as he landed back on his feet. He was staring at him with his lips twisted up. Not a grin. Not a smirk, No, that was the look he reserved fully for Tobio. A look of amusement, mixed with annoyance and loathing.

 

For once, Tobio didn’t really care. “I’ll be doing the same thing again. Pay attention!” He said, mimicking his former senpai.

 

Oikawa’s scowl increased and a vein in his forehead twitched. Huh, Tobio wished his fan club could see him now. They might think a bit differently of him. “You stupid little brat.”

 

Tobio turned quickly at the words to hide his flinch. He had heard those before, usually spat out in almost the same tone Oikawa had just used, but the voice was higher and…usually accompanied by things being thrown or something stinging his cheek. He swallowed hard and forced the thoughts away. He was thankful, for once, when Hinata ran up to speak with him. “That was awesome!” The smaller boy crowed. “You’re not losing against the Great King, Kageyama!”

 

Tobio turned slightly so he could watch Oikawa as he answered Hinata. “Even if he’s the best overall player in the prefecture, I won’t lose to him as a setter!”

 

“But aren’t you serving next?” Hinata questioned, tilting his head to the side and his brows furrowing together in confusion. “You’re on the back line, right? You said you’d do the same thing again. Isn’t a dump from the back line illegal?”

 

 _Of course Hinata would be the one to point that out!_ Tobio felt his face flush at the words. “Shut up!” he snapped as he hurried past the other boy. He made sure not to look toward the other side of the net. Who knows what Oikawa was doing. Or Iwaizumi. Kunimi and Kindaichi were probably laughing at him. “I meant when I get back up to the front line!”

 

Tobio moved to serve and as soon as he hit the ball he knew what was going to happen. The ball sailed across the net, over the heads of the players, and into the wall. He hunched his shoulders forward as Oikawa began to giggle and even Iwaizumi looked amused. “I’m sorry!” He called out to his team in embarrassment.

 

Oikawa was up next to serve and Tobio just knew the other boy was thinking about his failed attempt as he held the ball in his hands. Hell, he was probably making some snide comment that would piss Tobio off if he heard it. It was a good thing he couldn’t hear anything.  Oikawa served and Tobio’s eyes narrowed as the ball flew straight toward Noya. What was Oikawa playing at?

 

Noya received the serve cleanly and Tobio moved into the correct position as the ball came toward him. He knew that they were marking Hinata. He needed to distract them. His mind flashed to an image of the Nekoma setter and the way he purposely looked the wrong way. Would that work?

 

He sent a quick look toward his left and then set the ball right. It seemed to work as at least one of the blockers delayed their jump and Hinata scored.

 

The game was paused momentarily as Oikawa bent down to tie his shoe. Tobio felt his body tense. He saw Oikawa’s lips moving. He saw the way Kindaichi’s entire body tensed. He was well aware how Oikawa could get into someone’s head. Just what was he saying to Kindaichi?

 

He didn’t get an answer but he knew his suspicious were correct when Kindaichi called for the next ball and sent a spike straight over Hinata’s head.

 

_He jumped higher. Moved faster. What did Oikawa-san do?_

Karasuno scored the next point and Tobio was cheering with his team when he felt a chill run up his spine. He turned around quickly, his eyes instantly flying toward Oikawa. Said boy had a smug smile and knowing eyes.

 

_He figured it out._

Aoba Johsai called for a time out and Tobio hurried over to his own team. They had more signals prepared but did they really need to use them yet? Did Oikawa really know what they were or was it just a guess? Should he mention it or not?

 

“Could it be that they’ve already figured it out?” Suga asked as he handed Tobio a water bottle.

 

 _He noticed it too._ “Damn it, that was fast.”

 

“Well, let’s see what happens and go from there,” Suga said softly as he moved off toward Daichi.

 

Is that what they should do? If Oikawa did figure it out they weren’t going to be able to use Hinata effectively. And the other spikers would be thrown as well. Should they really wait?

 

“Hey! What’s with the serious face?” Noya asked as he and Tanaka came up beside him. “That’s not like you!”  


“Nah, Noya. That’s actually how he always looks,” Tanaka teased. “He has the same face when he’s trying to decide between milk or a yogurt drink.”

 

Hey! That wasn’t an easy decision! “That – that has nothing to do with anything!”

 

“But, Noya-san, I’m amazed that you were able to return that serve,” Tanaka continued over Tobio’s sputtering.

 

“I received that serve once when I was in junior high,” Noya informed him. “It was always an amazing serve, if he could actually get it in, but he missed it a lot and it didn’t have much control. I’m sure he practiced a lot. Just because they have one guy who can serve really well and their setter is an all-around player, I don’t think those are the only reasons they’ve stayed in the top four for so long. If we let our guard down, they’ll take this game. Let’s give it our all!”

 

With that rousing speak from Noya, the break was over and Tobio moved back toward the court. The game continued with Aoba Johsai serving the ball toward Asahi in the same moment Tobio tried to move forward from the back line. They scored a few points off of the move and Tobio began to grow more and more frustrated. They finally got the ball up and scored.

 

The next play had two blockers on either side of Tobio. He felt his chest clench when he realized who they were. Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Both standing there. Both judging him. It felt like they were on either side of him, boring down on him. _Damn it. This pressure is incredible. They’re now four points ahead of us and we have two blockers on the front row without Hinata. We have to hurry up the rotation._

 

He decided to test his luck. He tried a setter dump once more but it was quickly blocked by Oikawa. _Damn it!_

“There’s nothing easier to stop than a dump when you’re panicked,” Oikawa taunted and Tobio felt his scowl increase. Trust Oikawa to make him feel even worse.

 

He tried to calm himself down. He really did. But the next time Hinata called for a toss Kindaichi was there to block him.

 

_Have they realized it?_

He took a deep breath and moved back to serve. It was fine. They had a backup plan. He just needed to score with his serves and then worry about the rest of it later. _I’m not going to miss this time._

He tossed up the ball and jumped forward. _Damn! It’s too far!_ He managed to hit it and tensed, only letting his body calm when he saw that it actually went over the net. Oikawa sent it back and Tobio inwardly cursed as he was forced to receive the ball. Now he couldn’t toss. Daichi took over and sent it toward Tanaka but the spike was quickly blocked.

 

Oikawa was next to serve and he quickly scored a point. Tobio was scowling as Karasuno called a time out. It was obvious that Oikawa was having his team target Tanaka. And Tanaka was close to breaking. They couldn’t let that happen. But Tobio didn’t know how to stop it.

 

He didn’t know what to do. Tanaka was getting blocked at every turn and they were getting the ball around him. And then Tanaka didn’t call for a toss. Tobio clenched his jaw. Damn. They needed to fix this.

 

But Tanaka seemed to know that himself. He apologized on their next break and quickly got back into the game, even managing to stop Oikawa’s streak. The game continued with Aoba Johsai having a large lead. Tobio felt like he was drowning. It was bad enough to lose to his former senpai. But to lose by such a big margin…

 

…that couldn’t happen.

 

_We have to lessen the lead somehow._

But how?

 

He didn’t know. But the gap continued to grow.

 

_Something. I have to do something._

The ball moved toward the net. “Push it, Kageyama!”

 

Tobio jumped, his hands coming to rest on the ball. He needed to push it over. But someone else was there as well.

  
Oikawa.

 

And then the ball was falling.

 

On Tobio’s side.

 

Tobio fell to the ground, his feet slipping out from under him and his backside slamming onto the hard floor. He winced and looked up, expecting to see Oikawa smirking down at him. But he wasn’t. No, he was staring down at Tobio with wide eyes. His mouth opened and closed soundlessly like he couldn’t figure out what to say.

 

Tobio scowled and got off the floor. He didn’t know why Oikawa was looking at him like that but he didn’t have time for it. He didn’t have time to listen to Oikawa’s criticism.

 

He had a game to win.

 

_I’m not going to lose. I’m not going to lose! I’m going to win and remain on the court!_

 

He tossed the ball and stared in horror as if flew over Tsukishima.

 

Hinata wasn’t there.

 

Tsukishima was.

 

He set for the wrong person.

 

Asahi managed to save the ball and it flew over to Aoba Johsai. Not that it mattered. The other team got the point.

 

He had tossed for the wrong person.

 

He heard a whistle and turned his head to the side.

 

And froze.

 

Suga was standing there.

 

Holding a #9.

 

Tobio was being taken out of the game.

 

He had lost.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are done! Everyone cheer! And, because I'm so excited, you guys get a new chapter! It might be a bit boring - it's mostly things that you're going to recognize. But I think it's important for Kageyama's character growth so I wanted to include it. Let me know what you think!

****

Tobio was having trouble breathing.

 

He moved toward Suga quickly, carefully not looking toward the other side of the net. They were watching him. Oikawa. Iwaizumi. Kindaichi. Kunimi.

 

They were watching as he was taken from the game.

 

The same way he was back then.

 

Kindaichi turning his back.

 

Kunimi staring at him impassively.

 

Iwaizumi and Oikawa watching him as he sat on the bench.

 

The towel over his face as the tears fell from his eyes.

 

Oikawa waiting for him after the game.

 

The wall at his back.

 

The hands burning through his clothes.

 

_“You might be a great setter, Tobio-chan. But if you continue down this path you will never amount to anything. Remember that.”_

He took the paddle from Suga and went to walk toward the sidelines – when someone slapped their hand on his shoulder. He flinched.

 

_“…great setter…. never amount to anything…”_

But it wasn’t Oikawa.

 

It was Suga.

 

Please no.

 

Not again.

 

“Don’t get depressed,” Suga said lowly, “we’re just changing up the rhythm for a bit.”

 

 _Because they can’t trust me. Because I’m nothing compared to Oikawa-san._ “I’m sorry.”

 

Tobio moved toward Coach Ukai as Suga hurried onto the court. He had just stopped in front of Ukai when he was met by someone else. “I said I’d be the one that defeats you!” Hinata yelled. Tobio blinked. What was the idiot going on about now? “So don’t lose to anyone before that!”

 

_This idiot._

But the rocks that had been sitting on his chest, crushing him, suffocating him, began to lighten as he stared down at the other boy. He hadn’t lost. Not yet. Just because he was out of the game didn’t mean that Karasuno had lost. It wasn’t a team of one.

 

He was part of a team.

 

His team was still playing.

 

He hadn’t lost yet.

 

Tobio let his face twist into the familiar scowl he always seemed to wear when talking to Hinata. “The match isn’t over yet,” he finally answered, “I haven’t lost yet.”  


Then Yamaguchi appeared and pulled Hinata away. Tobio quirked his head to the side as the taller boy muttered something about Hinata going to get himself into trouble. “Kageyama,” Ukai spoke, making Tobio turn away from the odd sight. “Make sure you take stock of things from outside the court. Use that time to calm down. Watch how your senpai plays.”

 

Tobio nodded his head and hurried over toward the other players standing on the side of the court. He turned around just in time to see Suga smack almost every single player on their side of the net.

 

_…what…_

_Well, I can say that isn’t something I ever saw Oikawa-san do._

But it seemed to work. Every member of the team suddenly seemed to pick up and the smiles that had faded were back on their faces. Smiles that had fallen when they were playing with Tobio.

 

Even Tsukishima looked happier.

 

Well, maybe.

 

It really was hard to tell.

 

Tobio felt eyes on him and he turned slightly to see Hinata’s wide eyes fixated on him. “What?”

 

“Jeez, your face is scary!” Hinata complained.

 

Tobio’s brow furrowed and he felt that familiar swell of anger build within his chest. “I was born with this face!”

 

Hinata sighed and turned away from him, “You were all irritated and stopped talking as much.” And just like that, the anger was gone. He had…what? Had the panic he was feeling been that obvious? Had the other team been able to see it as well? “I could tell you were thinking and stuff, but if you don’t say it out loud, I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

 

He hadn’t been talking? Really? “I wasn’t saying it out loud?” Tobio questioned the redhead, just to be sure.

 

“Nope,” Hinata confirmed. “You were quieter than in any other match.”

 

Tobio was horrified. _Damn it! I was so overwhelmed I end up having to hear about it from him? How did I not notice? Did they all notice?_

_Did I mess everything up so badly?_

The game picked back up and Tobio kept his eyes focused on Suga. It was…surprising. And amazing. He knew that Suga was talented. But he hadn’t known…

 

Why was he the starter again?

 

He shouldn’t be.

 

 Suga was…good. Not great. Especially when compared to Oikawa on the other side of the net. But he knew his team. He was strategic. He was able to throw Aoba Johsai, and more importantly, Oikawa, off.

 

He had switched positions with Tsukishima right with Iwaizumi was getting ready to spike. He had known that they would aim for him and he countered it with Tsukishima’s height.

 

He had told Hinata to delay his jumps and Hinata had managed to block #2.

 

He managed to get the team to rally for him.

 

That wasn’t something Tobio was able to do.

 

Not yet anyway.

 

But one day, he would.

 

The points were slowly closing in but it wasn’t enough.

 

Aoba Johsai was getting closer and closer to game point.

 

_Damn it! Now it’s Oikawa-san’s serve._

And then they were at set point.

 

Oikawa served and Daichi received it. Tobio couldn’t help but cheer as the ball went up into the air. And then Hinata and Tanaka were running forward. Tobio looked from one to the other, wondering what Suga had planned.

 

And the ball was set. For Asahi.

 

But Seijoh saved it. And it was coming back.

 

“Hinata! It’s coming directly to you!” Tobio yelled at the small boy. Receives still weren’t Hinata’s strong point. He needed to hit it…

 

Hinata jumped and the ball barely grazed his fingers. “You suck!” Tobio yelled once more.

 

“Oh, shut up already!” The boy yelled back. Tobio smirked. Hinata always played a bit better when he was worked up. Especially if he was trying to prove Tobio wrong.

 

Iwaizumi saved Hinata’s horrible “spike” and the ball was tossed by Oikawa. Kindaichi was blocked by Hinata.

 

_Finally, our middle blocker seems to be doing his job._

But the ball flew to the back of the court and Tobio held his breath as he waited for the call.

 

Out.

 

Aoba Johsai took the set.

 

Tobio joined his team around Coach Ukai and couldn’t help but clench his jaw as it was announced that they would start the new game with the current set.

 

Suga was starting the game.

 

Tobio was on the bench.

 

Tobio jerked as he felt both his head and his backside burst with pain at the same moment a loud yell was called out from down the court. He turned his head to find the source of the noise. For some reason, Oikawa was on the floor groaning and Iwaizumi was scowling down at him, his arms crossed over his chest. Tobio shook off both the odd feeling and the thoughts that were threatening to explode in his brain.

 

He had other things to do.

 

But…

 

No. That wasn’t possible.

 

“Sugawara-san!” Tobio called as he made his way toward the older setter.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Kindaichi…uh, Radish head’s…” Tobio broke off. How the hell did Hinata’s nicknames seem to take over his brain? “Could it be that #12’s quick timing is a bit slow?” It was something he had noticed when he had been watching the game. He really was picking up on a few habits from both team’s players as he stood there.

 

Not that he wanted to stay there, but yeah.

 

Maybe it wasn’t always so bad.

 

Suga looked surprised, “I think it is! He looks, and looks…and then hits the ball, or something like that. Oh also, I just realized this when I came in the game, but our opponent will definitely aim for any holes that we have, so we can use that to our advantage.”

 

_Could that be why Kindaichi and I never worked well together? Because he pauses in his attacks and I always want them to be faster?_

_Could it really be both our faults?_

“Kageyama?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“We…how do I say this?” Suga mused with his hands on his hips. “We seem to be in competition over the same position.” Tobio felt himself freeze. He didn’t want Suga to be upset with him. He didn’t want it to happen again. “I want to be in a lot of matches, too!” The other boy declared.

 

“I-I do too, but-“

 

“But now that I’m on the court,” Suga continued, his face relaxing into a smile. Tobio had no idea what was going on. Was the older boy angry with him or not? “The enemies are giants, and their spikes are directed right at me. Honestly, it scares me.” Tobio felt his mouth drop open. Oh. “Before, I would have let it affect me, but now you’ve got my back. I feel really confident. The points we get when I’m on the court, and the points we get when you’re on the court…all together, they’re points for Karasuno. I’ll fight my best and you’ll fight your best. That’s how we’re going to defeat Seijoh!”

 

“Right!” Tobio agreed, his mind whirling. They were playing for the same team. They weren’t fighting for the position. Not really. Not like…

 

Tobio’s eyes flickered to the side and he saw that he was being watched. Iwaizumi was standing there, a little way away from his teammates, with a small smile on his face. Oikawa was beside him. Eyes narrowed. Arms crossed.

 

But he wasn’t staring at Tobio.

 

He was looking at Suga.

 

…why was he looking at Suga?

 

“Kageyama-kun! Are you feeling a bit depressed?” Hinata yelled out.

 

“No, I’m not!” Tobio yelled back, embarrassment crawling through his body. Why did Hinata always do things like this to him? Especially when other people were close enough to hear him?

 

“What the heck?!” Hinata yelled out, “I was just feeling sorry for you since you were pulled out!”

 

“Just worry about yourself!” Tobio yelled back. “What was up with that sucky direct attack?”

 

A flush of red took over Hinata’s cheeks. “Shut up! That was my first time!”  
  
_Such an idiot._ “As soon as I’m back in, I’ll have you hitting one after another, so you’d better be prepared!”

 

Hinata smiled and a gleam overtook his eye. “Fine!”

 

“Fine!”  
  
The next game started and Tobio was once again standing on the sidelines, eyes scanning over the players. For some reason, Oikawa was still glaring at Suga. Maybe he didn’t like the fact that the third-year setter hadn’t factored into his plans or something. That seemed like the type of thing he would be upset about.

 

“Sugawara-san gives you nice compliments when you get one in!” Hinata chirped happily from where he stood beside Tobio.

 

“I see…” Tobio muttered. He wasn’t sure how he was feeling. He accepted that he and Suga were teammates. He accepted that, for the moment, Suga was the one that needed to be out there playing. But watching the way the team worked with Suga…made Tobio realize just how far he had to go to build a relationship with his team.

 

It was a little daunting.

 

“It’s not like being overly buddy-buddy,” Ennoshita explained as he walked closer toward them. “I think he says what he does based on the spiker’s expressions and how they’re doing that day.”

 

_He’s like Oikawa-san. He knows each of the players inside and out. He knows what to say to them to make them work harder._

Tobio had never been able to do that before.

 

He wasn’t sure he ever could.

 

“And unlike the second and third years,” Ennoshita continued, “I’m sure for Tsukishima, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know about Sugawara-san.” A scowl crossed Tobio’s face at mention of the blond. He really didn’t like that salt stick. “” Why do I have to match what I do with how others are feeling, especially Tsukishima, that jerk?” That’s what’s written on your face.”

 

Tobio flinched back at his thoughts being echoed out loud. “Th-that’s not what I-“

 

Hinata laughed at his predicament and Tobio moved to grab onto the smaller boy. One of Hinata’s hands wrapped around his own and the other moved to his wrist. Tobio didn’t even look at Hinata as the two struggled against one another. “But Kageyama,” Ennoshita started, not seeming to be bothered by his and Hinata’s squabbling. “If Hinata seems to have a hard time hitting the ball, you switch things up, right?”

 

“Yes,” Tobio confirmed, “because he misses easily.”

 

He almost didn’t notice as Hinata flinched at the words and Tobio was able to push more against the smaller boy. “I think that everyone else also has their own techniques and that affects how they hit the ball,” Ennoshita told him. “I might sound biased, but I think our spikers are pretty skilled.”

 

“I think that too, but-“

 

“Then, if they were all able to hit the ball with 100% of their ability, don’t you think they’d be able to break through the block?”

 

_…could they?_

The conversation broke off as loud screams took over the gym. Tobio turned his gaze back to the game and flinched when Hinata crowed in his ear. “It’s the Great King’s turn to serve!”

 

They had changed up the rotation to counter Oikawa’s serves.

 

Now it was time to see if it worked.

 

It did.

 

They stopped Oikawa’s serves before they even began.

 

Tobio’s attention fixed on the older setter. He was irritated. That was dangerous. His eyes were shining vindictively. Those eyes flickered up and met Tobio’s from across the court. Tobio flinched back instinctively. He hated it when Oikawa looked at him like that.

 

It made him uncomfortable.

 

And slightly nauseous.

 

He needed to get back on the court.

 

He could try to do as Ennoshita suggested. He could try to bring out the best in his team. Like Suga. Like Oikawa.

 

He was willing to try.

 

He wanted to be out there.

 

The feeling only grew as Aoba Johsai began to pull ahead in points. If they got too much of a lead, it would be almost impossible to catch up. Tobio didn’t want them to win.

 

He wanted to play.

 

Tobio watched Suga play. He needed to learn all he could from the older setter while he still had the chance.

 

_I always thought that if you were benched it meant that you weren’t needed anymore. In junior high, I’m pretty sure that was completely accurate. The things that Sugawara-san and I can do are different. But our goal is the same._

_I want to be in it._

_I want to be in it._

_I want to be in the game._

_I want to fight._

Tobio’s fists clenched as Hinata was blocked once more. He glanced at the bench only to see Ukai motioning to him. He hurried over and bowed his head as Ukai informed him he would be going back in the game.

 

Finally.

 

“It’s a bit frustrating,” Suga commented as came to step beside Tobio. “But Hinata’s face when he hits my toss isn’t the same as when he hits yours. I think you know this, but all of you guys are really strong.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Suga smiled and placed his hand on Tobio’s shoulder, “Let’s win this thing.”

 

“Right!”

 

Tobio hurried over to his team that was waiting on the court. They were all watching him as he moved forward and an image of Suga flashed through his mind. That smile that seemed to calm them all down. He could try it.

 

“What are you thinking?” Hinata gasped as he moved backwards a few steps. “You won’t get your way!”

_…what?_

 

“Hinata, you’re running too far away!” Tanaka yelled.

 

“I don’t think that’s a scheming face,” Noya cut in, just as loud as Tanaka. “I think he’s smiling…maybe…”

 

“Don’t say maybe, Noya!” Asahi panicked.

 

Well. Okay, that didn’t seem to work. And of course, Hinata had to completely end up staring at him in horror when Tobio was trying to be comforting. “Hinata, I’ll kill you!”  


He moved toward the back line, getting prepared to serve. Stupid Hinata. Stupid Tanaka. And Noya. He wasn’t even going to look toward his old teammates across the net. There was no way they wouldn’t have been able to hear that conversation. He could just picture the mocking looks painted across Kindaichi and Kunimi’s face. He didn’t even want to think about Iwaizumi or Oikawa.

 

They had been confusing enough during this game. He didn’t need to add anything else to it.

 

“Did Sugawara-san tell you about the signs?” Hinata asked as the ball was tossed to Tobio.

 

“I heard in between sets,” Tobio confirmed. “Let’s get going!”

 

“Yeah!”

 

They all got into position and Tobio’s lips twitched upwards as he looked down at the volleyball in his hands. He was back on the court. He was able to play again. He was back on the court.

 

He was going to win.

 

 _They_ were going to win.

 

“Kageyama-kun! Relax!”

 

_Relax? Why do I need to relax?_

Tobio closed his eyes as he held the ball up in front of his face. This was it. He was going to do this. He was going to do a serve that rivaled Oikawa’s.

 

 A strange feeling of calm overtook him.

 

_I feel good._

His eyes snapped open and the whistle blew. The ball flew up into the air and Tobio jumped.

 

The ball felt great against his hand and he watched as it flew over the net and toward the libero. The ball ricocheted off of the libero’s arms into the far wall.

 

A service ace.

 

“Yes!” Tobio yelled out. He did it!

 

And then Tanaka was walking toward him with his hands up in the air. “Yeah!”

 

Tobio flinched away from the older boy. Why were his hands in the air? What had Tobio done? Was he angry at him?

 

But Tanaka stopped and just yelled, “Yeah!” once again.

 

“He’s asking for a high five, you idiot!” Hinata cut in.

 

Oh. Right.

 

People did that.

 

Tobio moved forward hesitantly and slapped his palms against the older boys. He felt the sharp sting in his palms that quickly faded.

 

He didn’t understand.

 

Why did people do this?

 

He served once more but this time Iwaizumi was there. The ball went up and the libero quickly covered it. _Of course I wouldn’t be able to get it past Iwaizumi-san. He’s been practicing with Oikawa-san for years._

 

Why did that make his throat feel tight?

But Aoba Johsai had to break formation to get the ball and soon enough it was flying back over the net. Tobio moved into position and an urge of satisfaction overtook him as the ball flew from his fingers and into Hinata’s palm.

 

_“Sugawara-san compliments me if I make it!”_

Tobio swallowed hard as he turned toward Hinata. Right. He could do this. “Hey, Hinata,” Tobio started hesitantly. Hinata turned toward him in confusion. “Well done…” he muttered.

 

“Huh? Are you my boss?”

 

_Idiot. Why do I even try?_

Tobio got to serve again. Iwaizumi was waiting and this time he received it cleanly. And then Aoba Johsai scored.

 

“Sorry!” Tobio apologized bitterly. “I should have hit it toward the side a bit.” _And not right into Iwaizumi-san’s arms._

“Don’t worry about it!” Tanaka answered back. “They were good serves!”

 

“Thank you.”

 

The game continued and Karasuno managed to keep their one-point lead. And then Tsukishima was back on the court and Tobio wondered how on earth he was supposed to be more in tune with the tall first year.

 

“You need to have a conversation,” Suga told him during a time-out. “Talk. Especially with Tsukishima, communication is the key.”

 

_I’d really rather not…_

He didn’t put the information to use until the next break. “Hey,” he said, slipping up beside the tall blond. “How was the toss, damn it?”

 

“Why are you talking like Tanaka-san?” The blond responded and Tobio winced. Yeah, that didn’t come out the way he had wanted it to.

 

Trust the blond to point it out.

 

“It’s like you’re saying “shut up and hit this toss, you commoner”.” Tobio flinched at the reference. “It pisses me off.”

 

“What?!” Tobio snapped. He really, really disliked this guy.

 

Suga seemed ready to cut in as he stepped between Tobio and the other first year. But Tobio didn’t need his help. “What do you mean by that?”

 

Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed. “I have my own way of doing things, so I’d rather you keep your tosses consistent. You’re not the only one thinking. We’re all thinking. Even Hinata has started thinking enough to use normal quicks, right? Though just barely.”

 

“What’d you mean by that?!” Hinata yelled. “What do you mean by “just barely”?!”

 

But Tobio wasn’t listening to Hinata. He was thinking about Tsukishima. He couldn’t say the other boy was wrong. Tsukishima might not be the best player but he was certainly smart. Tobio needed to let go a bit. He could do that. “All right,” he finally agreed.

 

There was a gasp of surprise from the group around them. “You’re rather agreeable today,” Tsukishima commented. “You feeling okay?”

 

“We’re just going to have to try it and find out,” Tobio responded. If it worked, fine. If it didn’t, Tobio would go back to the tosses he had been sending the blond before. With that, the break was over and they moved back onto the court.

 

He sent such a toss toward the blond during the next play.

 

It worked.

 

Damn it.

 

They continued to play and Tobio fought to keep Karasuno ahead of the other school. So far, they had managed to stay ahead by one point but one point wasn’t enough to win.  They needed to do something to get a bigger lead.

 

It was Tsukishima that managed it.

 

He spiked through the blockers and earned the two-point lead. And set point.

 

“N-knife-nice,” he managed to stutter, earning a shocked look from the blond.

 

“Don’t hurt yourself, Kageyama!” Tanaka laughed.

 

Tobio blushed and focused his eyes on the other side of the court. They were watching him again. Why did Iwaizumi keep smiling at him? It was weird.

 

At least Oikawa wasn’t glaring.

 

But he wasn’t sure if that blank expression was any better.

 

The lead didn’t last long as Iwaizumi sent a spike along the line.

 

_Damn it! Now Oikawa-san is serving!_

Tobio was standing beside then net, waiting for the next serve, when Iwaizumi spoke. “The second opponent you want to show whose boss is right in front of you,” the third year spoke. Tobio knew the words were directed at Oikawa but Iwaizumi’s dark eyes were focused on him. He swallowed hard. He knew what the boy was talking about. He never forgot that. Never forgot Oikawa’s declaration that he was going to crush him. The tears that had been streaming down Oikawa’s face. The ones that were mirrored in Iwaizumi’s eyes. “You can give it all you’ve got.”

 

Tobio flinched.

 

Oikawa served but Noya received it, making Tobio breath out in relief. The ball flew back over the net and went straight toward Oikawa. Tobio knew what Tsukishima was thinking. He was thinking that Oikawa would set the ball to Kindaichi. To the center.

 

But Tobio knew Oikawa.

 

Tobio knew what he would do if he was in Oikawa’s place.

 

Tobio quickly grabbed onto the back of Tsukishima’s jersey to stop the boy from jumping. He tugged on the jersey and he and Tsukishima jumped toward Iwaizumi.

 

If Oikawa was going to trust anyone with this, it would be the ace of the team.

 

The person he had been on a team with his entire life.

 

His soulmate.

 

Iwaizumi spiked and the ball bounced off of Tobio’s palm. And that was that.

 

They had won the second set.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short little update here! It was something I wanted to get out today so I could move forward with this story. Hope you enjoy...little depressing though...

One more.

 

They just needed one more.

 

If they lost, it was all over.

 

One more.

 

But Aoba Johsai was giving it their all. They were taking them as a serious threat.

 

Could they win against that?

 

Tobio had trouble tearing his eyes away from Oikawa. His sets, his jumps, his serves…all of them were amazing. Really amazing…

 

But Tobio was on the other team.

 

Oikawa was with Iwaizumi.

 

It was like they were running from him. Just when Tobio thought they were going to catch up, just when he thought _he_ was going to catch up, they were gone.

 

They left him.

 

The only thing he could do was use his teams greatest weapon.

 

He tossed to Hinata.

 

And the spike was blocked.

 

The ball slammed to the floor and Karasuno had lost before Hinata had even opened his eyes.

 

Tobio felt his body drop.

 

They lost.

 

He was kneeling on the ground, eyes burning. He could hear Aoba Johsai cheering. He knew if he looked he would see bright smiles plastered on all of their faces.

 

He didn’t look.

 

He let himself be pulled from the ground. Let himself be led into line. Held out his hand for whoever was standing across from him. Didn’t look. Couldn’t look.

 

He ran past Oikawa. The older boys shoulder brushed his as they did so and Tobio’s eyes instantly filled. His arm burned from where they had touched.

 

He wanted it to stop.

 

He felt eyes on him. He didn’t look up to see who it was.

 

Why couldn’t they leave him alone?

 

They bowed toward the crowd and Tobio could barely hear the clapping and words spoken through the roaring in his ears.

 

He wanted to go home.

 

“Seijoh will be going to the quarterfinals after a short break.” It was the first words that Tobio had actually heard since that ball slammed to the floor. Tobio’s eyes flickered to the side involuntarily. They were all smiling and laughing. Iwaizumi was holding up a clean jersey.

 

They were moving on.

 

Tobio wasn’t.

 

He moved outside with the rest of his team and instantly went over to the fountain. He needed to cool off. He needed – to make sure no one could see the tears leaking from his eyes.

 

It wasn’t until he was done that he stood and noticed that Hinata was the only one still there. The rest had already left for the after-game meeting. “Sorry,” Tobio apologized. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. For taking so long? For losing? He didn’t know.

 

But apparently Hinata had some ideas.

 

The smaller boy grabbed Tobio’s collar and yelled at him for apologizing. Tobio took startled steps back, trying to get away from the other boy. But Hinata just followed him. Soon enough, Tobio was falling backwards. He hissed as his body slammed into the ground, Hinata kneeling in front of him, his shirt still in the redhead’s grasp. Tobio was terrified. He had never seen Hinata this upset. Never seen him actually come after him in a way that wasn’t in a teasing manner.

 

He didn’t know what to do.

 

Takeda is the one that stepped in. Tobio couldn’t deny the sense of relief he felt when he saw the teacher. “You were both amazing today.”

 

“But we lost,” Hinata muttered from his place beside Tobio. Tobio forced himself not to move away from the other boy. Hinata had just been upset. He wasn’t going to actually hurt Tobio.

 

He didn’t think.

 

“Yes, you lost,” Takeda continued, “But does losing prove that you’re weak? Isn’t losing difficult for all of you? A challenge where, after ending up on your hands and knees, you must see if you can stand up again? If you stay on your hands and knees, that means you’re weak.”

 

Tobio’s hands clenched. He was _not_ weak. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, noticing Hinata doing the same beside him. They moved forward to meet the rest of the team, Takeda smiling beside them.

 

Tobio didn’t listen during the meeting. Most of the team didn’t. At the end, they all decided to stop in the gym and see how Aoba Johsai’s match was going. Apparently, it hadn’t been as difficult as the match with Karasuno because they were already celebrating their second set win.

 

They were going to finals.

 

And getting even further away.

 

Tobio couldn’t help but look at Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They had their arms around each other, both laughing and smiling.

 

They were happy.

 

Tobio turned away. It was time to go home.

 

But they didn’t go home. Coach Ukai took them to get food. It was probably a good thing. Tobio had hoped that he would have a second game today. He hadn’t prepared anything and he wasn’t sure if there was even anything in the house for him to eat.

 

Not that he wanted to cook anyway.

 

He probably just would have gone to sleep.

 

They were all at the table, eating in complete silence. Every single person (except Tsukishima, but Tobio didn’t consider him a _person_ ) had tears streaming down their faces.

 

Then, finally, they arrived back at the school.

 

And Tobio walked home.

 

Hinata was beside him for part of the way before he had to turn off. He waved lazily before turning away and ambling down the street. Tobio watched him go briefly. The boy lived on the other side of the mountain. He had to be tired. Should he ask him if he wanted to stay the night at Tobio’s?

  
But they had class tomorrow.

 

It was probably best that he went home.

 

So Tobio didn’t say anything and he slowly shuffled down the street until he finally reached his house. He unlocked the gate and moved toward the door. But then he froze.

 

Something was wrong.

 

The lights were on.

 

Why were the lights on?

 

Hesitantly, Tobio moved forward and turned the door knob. The door was unlocked.

 

Did he leave it unlocked?

 

He didn’t think so.

 

Pushing the door open slowly, Tobio peaked through into the main room. Someone was sitting on the couch.

 

Oh.

 

Dread filled his stomach and his head instantly began to ache. Why was she here? Had something happened? How long had she been waiting for him?

 

Was she angry?

 

Tobio glanced down quickly, making sure his sports suit was zipped and that his sleeves were covering his arms. Nothing had been there earlier but he couldn’t guarantee something hadn’t been written within the last few hours.

 

She didn’t need to know that he hadn’t been following her “rules” when she was gone.

 

“Tobio,” she said, standing slowly and letting her eyes trail over him. Her face was impassive. Her eyes were blank.

 

Tobio thought it was as if she was looking at a stranger.

 

“Where have you been?” she suddenly demanded, her face shifting into an irritated frown. “I’ve been waiting for you for hours. Don’t tell me you’ve been practicing in that gym this late. You have other things to work on! Don’t think I haven’t seen your test grades!”  
  
Tobio swallowed hard and looked at the floor. She didn’t know. She had no idea. “We were in a tournament. The Inter-High-“

 

“Did you win?”

 

“We made it to-“

 

“So you didn’t,” she said, cutting him off with an irritated sigh. “Fine. It doesn’t matter. I need to talk to you about something. Sit down.”

 

Tobio guardedly moved forward, moving faster when his mother sighed once again. He perched on the couch, keeping his back straight and his shoulders tense. He had no idea what was happening. After all this time, what could be important enough for her to show up here? And actually wait for him?

 

What had he done?

 

“Hiroshi has been transferred,” his mother said, eyes meeting his for the first time. Tobio wanted to look away but he knew she would be angry if he did so. “I have put in a request to go with him. We will be moving to Tokyo.”

 

Tokyo? That was a couple of hours away by train. But…she was leaving?

 

Actually leaving?

 

“There will need to be some changes,” she continued on, “I will continue to give you an allowance, however, I will send it each month instead of giving it to you each week. You are to remain vigilant when it comes to what you spend. I do not want a call halfway through the month saying that you are in need of more,” she said warningly, her eyes flashing. Tobio nodded quickly. “If it is not enough, you will need to find employment. I expect you to keep your school grades up,” she scowled, “well, as much as you can manage. Do not spend all of your time focusing on that game. If I feel like you are slacking in any way, I will pull you from Karasuno. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Yes,” Tobio answered quickly, nodding his head.

 

“Hmm,” she pursed her lips. “Very well. This month’s allowance is on the table. We will be leaving Saturday. You _will_ answer your phone if I call.” Tobio nodded once more and she stood. “Keep the house orderly. Just because I won’t be checking in weekly doesn’t mean you can let the trash pile up.” Tobio nodded once more and she walked toward the door. “I will speak with you soon.”

 

The door shut behind her and Tobio’s entire body instantly relaxed. His shoulders loosened and he leaned back against the sofa. He was tired. His body hurt. And this hadn’t been a good day for his mother to suddenly appear.

 

He shifted and then winced at the sudden flare of pain in his hands. He looked down and frowned. Oh. Apparently, he had been clenching his fists so hard that he had managed to break the skin. He was bleeding.

 

He needed to clean this up or practice would be hell tomorrow.

 

He stood slowly and moved toward the bathroom where he kept his medical supplies. He disinfected the small wounds and placed bandages on them before moving toward his bedroom. He was tired. Tired and somewhat empty. He wanted to go to bed.

 

He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

 

It wasn’t until the next morning when he saw the words on his skin.

 

**What did you do**

_It wasn’t me! I need my hands! We have a game tomorrow!_

**I know that. Dumbass**

_Then why are you blaming me?!_

_Wait._

_You aren’t blaming me._

_~~You think that~~ _ ~~~~

_~~Is he~~ _

_~~He is isn’t~~ _

_~~CAN HE READ~~ _

_I’M CALLING YOU_ ~~~~


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! A character has panic attacks in this chapter! If there is a chance of triggering, I would recommend skipping this chapter. I will post a summary of it in the end notes.
> 
> And, wow! You all seemed to enjoy the last chapter! This is another short and somewhat sad chapter. Sorry. I'm working through the angst section of this story. Let me know what you think.

They knew.

 

They had to know.

 

That was the only thing that made any amount of sense.

 

Did he want them to know?

 

Did he want-

 

Was he-

 

Could it possibly be-

 

Tobio’s mind flashed to Iwaizumi’s smile, to the look of shock Oikawa’s face. The pain he had felt between sets. He had turned toward Iwaizumi and Oikawa only to see Oikawa on the floor.

 

They both played volleyball. Just like his soulmates.

 

They were on the same team.

 

Oikawa was captain.

 

Iwaizumi was vice-captain.

 

No.

 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

 

That wasn’t right!

 

He couldn’t breathe. His chest was caving in. He was cold. Shaking. Gasping.

 

Soulmates were supposed to protect on another! They were supposed to care about him! They weren’t supposed to-

 

His hands flew to his throat, clawing at the invisible hands that were wrapped around it. Choking him. He couldn’t _breathe_.

 

Dimly, he thought he heard something. Ringing. Why was he hearing ringing?

 

It needed to _stop_.

 

It _all_ needed to stop.

 

It was his last thought before he lost consciousness.

 

***8***8***8***8***8***8***8***8***

 

His head was pounding. His body ached. He didn’t want to open his eyes.

 

What time was it?

 

Why was he on the floor?

 

Letting out a deep groan, Tobio slowly blinked his eyes open, closing them quickly in pain when they caught sight of the bright light streaming into the room.

 

Wait.

 

Light.

 

That couldn’t be right.

 

Squinting his eyes open once more, Tobio forced himself into a sitting position and managed to get to his hands and knees. He hurt. He _really_ hurt. His chest ached and his muscles felt like they were one fire. Despite the throbbing throughout his body, he pulled himself toward his bed and managed to grab his phone. It shouldn’t be light out. He had class. Why didn’t his alarm go off?

 

He moaned once more as he looked at the black screen.

 

It was dead.

 

Of course it was.

 

He pushed himself to his feet and quickly plugged his phone into the charger before hurrying into the bathroom. He needed a shower and then he could check and see the time. Though he had no doubt he was late. He wasn’t just going to go to school like this. He could feel the dirt and grime that caked his body.

 

It wasn’t until the water was crashing down on him that flashes of the day before appeared through his mind.

 

The game.

 

The loss.

 

His mother.

 

The words on his-

 

_The words._

Oh god.

 

Tobio looked down at his arm but the words were gone. Washed away.

 

He had never been the smartest person in the room. He might be a _genius_ in volleyball (his chest tightened at the words, picturing the face of another setter sneering at him as the word formed on his lips) but when it came to most other things, he was a little…well, he usually focused on volleyball. Nothing else usually interested him enough for him to put turn his entire attention to it.

 

But maybe he was right this time.

 

It was the only reason he could think of for the two of them to…

 

That hand around his throat felt like it was tightening again and Tobio shook his head to clear the thoughts away.  He tilted his head back and let the water wash over him. He didn’t want to think about this. He wasn’t going to think about this.

 

He was going to go to school.

 

Stepping out of the shower, he completed his morning routine and then moved back toward his now, at least slightly, charged phone. He turned it on and waited for it to completely load as he grabbed a protein bar for breakfast. He then looked down at the time and cursed.

 

He was late.

 

Really late.

 

Stuffing most of the bar into his mouth, Tobio hurried toward the door and put his shoes on before stepping outside and locking the door behind him. Then he ran.

 

It didn’t take him too long to get to Karasuno, but Tobio still received a very annoyed look from sensei when he walked into his classroom. Bowing his head in apology, Tobio moved to his desk quickly as she continued her lecture. Tobio tried to pay attention, he really did, but soon enough he was taking out the volleyball documentation that had been in his bag and staring at it. Then his head was slamming down on his desk.

 

They had lost.

 

There wouldn’t be any more games. Not until Spring.

 

Were the third years even going to stay on the team?

 

Or was yesterday their last chance to play with them?

 

Tobio closed his eyes and clenched his fists, feeling the slight twinge in his palms as he did so.

 

Oh, right.

 

He had done that.

 

Hopefully it wouldn’t make things difficult for-

 

No.

 

No, no, no, no-

 

“Kageyama-kun?”

 

Tobio looked up, shocked to see Hinata standing beside his desk. Glancing around the room, Tobio quickly realized that most of his classmates were gone.

 

It must have been time for lunch.

 

Did he bring any money with him?

 

No. It was still sitting on the table.

 

He glanced down and was surprised to see Hinata sliding a carton of milk toward him. Kageyama took it gratefully as Hinata slouched into a desk beside him. Neither of them spoke as they ate – well, as Hinata ate. At least Tobio had milk.

 

Tobio wondered if he should check the score from the game today. It was finals after all. Did he want to know who won?

 

Was the game even over?

 

Did he want _them_ to win?

 

They had ended his own chances of moving forward. Would it be petty of Tobio to want them to lose? Probably. But did he _actually_ want them to lose?

 

He didn’t know.

 

Tobio shook his head, earning a confused look from Hinata, but both the boys continued to sit in silence. Once lunch had finished, Hinata merely nodded his head to Tobio before leaving the classroom.

 

Tobio had never seen Hinata like this.

 

So quiet. So still.

 

He wasn’t sure he liked it.

 

Despite the fact that there was no practice that afternoon, Tobio made his way to the gym anyway. He needed to work off some of this…whatever it was. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Hinata joined him. The two worked off their frustration before the other players appeared.

 

Apparently, they weren’t taking the day off either.

 

And the third years were staying on the team.

 

They had another chance.

 

Tobio vowed that he was going to make sure it wasn’t in vain.

 

He left the gym with the rest of the team that night. Daichi had said he would buy them all pork buns. The walk was quieter than usually was, even Tsukishima was keeping his irritating comments to himself.  Tobio thanked Daichi as he started to eat beside Hinata.

 

“Kageyama-kun? I didn’t know you knew your soulmate?” Suga asked softly, causing Tobio’s bun to get lodged in his throat. Tobio coughed, trying to dislodge the food. He felt someone pounding on his back while Hinata panicked beside him. Finally, the food dislodged and he took in a gasping breath, instantly taking a drink from the water bottle that had been offered to him.

 

He finally got himself under control and glanced up through tear filled eyes. Most of the team was staring at him in concern, though Tsukishima seemed to be the one that had been pounding his back.

 

He just knew that the person had been hitting him too hard.

 

He was going to have bruises.

 

“Sorry,” Suga said sheepishly from in front of him. “I guess I should have brought that up a different way.”

 

For a moment, Tobio wasn’t sure what Suga had been talking about. He had to think back to the previous conversation.

 

_“I didn’t know you knew your soulmate?”_

Oh.

 

Tobio glanced down. It had been a warm night and his arms had been clear, so he hadn’t bothered to put his jacket on. He should have known that something like this would happen.

 

“Kageyama-kun?! You know your soulmate?! Why didn’t you tell me?” Hinata demanded, jumping up and down beside him. Tobio stared at him with wide eyes.

 

This couldn’t be happening.

 

“The King actually has a soulmate?” Of course, that was Tsukishima’s response.

 

“Ooh, is she hot?” Tanaka demanded.

 

“Is she taller than me?” Noya cut in with a glare.

 

“Guys! Give him some space!” Daichi demanded loudly, stepping in front of the speechless Tobio.

 

It was happening again. He couldn’t- he needed to – he was going to-

 

“Kageyama? Are you okay?” Suga asked gently, a frown between his brows as he gently placed a hand on Tobio’s shoulder. Tobio moved away instantly from the touch.

 

No, no, no, no, no.

 

Don’t touch him!

 

Just- don’t – can’t- breathe –

 

He collapsed down against the pavement, clutching at his chest. His eyes were closed but he could feel the hot tears slipping down his cheeks. People were yelling.

 

“King? Can you hear me?”

 

His hands were shaking.

 

_…king…_

_“You still doing the king thing?”_

“Tsukki-“

 

“Shut up. Kageyama, hey. Look at me.” Tobio’s eyes flew open. Since when did Tsukishima use his name? He didn’t tell him he could do that! “Look at me. Breathe with me. Come on…” Tobio kept his eyes fixated on the glasses clad boy as he took deep, ridiculous breaths. Tobio struggled to match him anyway. It was a struggle at first but he eventually managed to do so.

 

“Are you okay?!” Hinata demanded frantically, his hands waving in front of Tobio’s body. He moved forward but Tsukishima pushed him back harshly, making the boy fall back onto the pavement with a loud yell.

 

“Don’t touch him!”

 

For the first time in his life, Tobio thought he might actually be thankful for Tsukishima.

 

“…yeah, he’s fine. Do you want to- oh, alright. Yeah, I’ll tell him. Okay.” Tobio turned his attention to the person speaking and he saw Suga slowly ending the call he was on. Who had he been – Tobio froze in horror as Suga slowly held the phone out to him.

 

How did Suga get his phone?

 

…and who was he talking to?

 

“Iwaizumi-san would like you to call him tonight,” Suga finally said as Tobio shakily reached out and took the phone from his grasp – only to drop it when the words penetrated his mind.

 

“Iwaizumi-san? Like Seijoh’s ace?” Hinata gasped. His wide eyes narrowed as he looked at Tobio. “Why would Seijoh’s ace be calling you?!”

 

Tobio could feel it again. The tightening of his chest. He…wanted to go home.

 

“Breathe,” Tsukishima instructed harshly.

 

Tobio sucked in a quick breath and turned his attention back to the stoic blond.

 

Why was he helping him?

 

“I think we should get you home,” Daichi said slowly as he came to kneel beside Tobio. Tobio looked at his captain with wide eyes. This was – how was he going to explain this? What did they know?

 

What had just happened?

 

“Can you walk or do we need to call someone?” Daichi asked lowly, phone already in hand.

 

Call someone?

 

“No one to call,” Tobio managed to gasp out, too tired to really think about the repercussions of his words. He almost didn’t notice the looks his teammates exchanged.

 

“Well, we can-“

 

“I’ll help!” Hinata said quickly, getting to his feet and moving to help Tobio. He froze just before touching him. “Uh,” his eyes flickered from Tobio to Tsukishima. “Can I- I mean, is it okay if I…”

 

Tsukishima slowly moved to his feet and narrowed his eyes at Tobio. “Can you stand?”

 

Tobio didn’t want to. He wanted to sleep. But he couldn’t sleep here. Not on the street.

 

He wanted his bed.

 

Tobio reached out slowly and grabbed onto Hinata’s hand. The other boy smiled brightly and helped up, though it looked as if he almost fell on top of him instead. “Okay! Let’s go!”

 

“Do you need us to-“ Suga started in concern but Tobio quickly shook his head. It was bad enough that Hinata was going to see his house. He didn’t want the others there as well.

 

“Alright,” Suga agreed though he didn’t sound happy about it. “Make sure you contact Iwaizumi-san when you get home. He said something about you not answering his messages.”

 

Messages?

 

Tobio had no idea what the other boy was talking about but he nodded his head anyway. He bowed his head down and slowly began to shuffle down the street, Hinata at his side. They weren’t even out of hearing range when his teammates began to discuss what had just occurred and Daichi told them to stop. Tobio had no doubt the conversation would continue after he and Hinata were out of sight.

 

Hinata didn’t say anything on the way to the house though he kept shooting Tobio concerned glances. Tobio wanted to yell at him, to tell him to stop, but he couldn’t seem to make the words come out of his mouth.

 

“Are we almost there?” Hinata finally asked. Tobio didn’t think he had ever heard the boys voice so soft.

 

He nodded his head in confirmation and turned on the next street. He was only a few houses down. He unlocked the house and stepped through the door, expecting Hinata to wish him a good night. Instead, he watched in surprise as the redhead slipped in behind him. “I don’t think you should be alone, Kageyama-kun,” Hinata informed him. His eyes flickered around the room and Tobio felt his body tense. “Where’s your mom?”

 

“Not here,” Tobio muttered.

 

“Oh,” Hinata responded with a frown. “Well, I’m going to call my mom and tell her I’m staying here tonight.”

 

“Don’t invite yourself, dumbass!” Tobio sputtered. Hinata just shot him a cheeky grin and pulled out his phone.

 

“You look like you’re going to fall over,” Hinata told him as he put the phone to his ear. “Shouldn’t you sleep or something?”  


Tobio stared at the boy. He was confused. Hinata was here. In his home. He was going to stay the night. He was worried about Tobio. Because Tobio had panicked in the middle of the street. In front of his teammates. Because someone had mentioned his soulmate.

 

Iwaizumi had called him.

 

_What messages?_

Tobio glanced down at his arms. There was only one thing written there – that didn’t constitute the term “messages”. Besides, he didn’t think Iwaizumi’s handwriting was that…pretty, anyway.

 

_You better not be dead._

Yeah, for some reason he didn’t think that was what Iwaizumi was talking about. Had he missed…

 

His phone had been dead.

 

He had briefly checked it earlier to check the time but had he checked it after that?

 

It was with those thoughts that Tobio pulled his phone out of his pocket and actually focused on the screen. Oh. He had three missed calls – all from last night – and a multitude of messages from two unknown numbers. One of those numbers was the one that had called him.

 

**_Unknown number:_ **

****

**_Received 20:22: answer your phone_ **

****

**_Received 20:25: r u ok?_ **

****

**_Received 20:32: where r u?_ **

****

**_Received 20:40: answer!_ **

****

**_Unknown number:_ **

****

**_Received 20:38: You’re upsetting Iwa-chan_ **

****

**_Received 20:45: I’m not going to stop him from searching for you._ **

****

**_Received 21:13: It’s your funeral_ **

****

**_Unknown number:_ **

****

**_Received 02:24: I’ll call u 2morrow_ **

****

**_Received 10:24: u didnt answer. again. Call after game_ **

****

Oh.

 

Tobio stared at the messages in horror. He guessed it was official now. There was no other reason they would be trying to contact him.

 

They were his soulmates.

 

Damn it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of chapter: Tobio has a panic attack when he contemplates Iwaizumi and Oikawa being his soulmates. Goes to school the next day and ends up having another attack when Suga questions him about having met his soulmates. Tsukishima ends up helping Tobio through it. At the end of the chapter, Tobio realizes he had gotten multiple messages from unknown numbers (Iwa and Oikawa) and he finally admits the two are his soulmates. Hinata stays the night.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!!! Again!! Another panic attack in this chapter. if you want to skip it, stop reading when you see the warning! I will let you know when it is safe to keep reading!
> 
> OH MY! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I had a great reaction to the last chapter and I only posted it a few hours ago! You are all great! Hope you enjoy!

Tobio shouldn’t have been surprised when his doorbell rang. He shouldn’t have been surprised to hear the squawking from his…friend? Was Hinata his friend? He seemed to care about him. They got along…most of the time, anyway. So, he guessed that made him his friend.

 

He was getting off topic.

 

“Tobio-chan! Where are you?!” A furious and extremely irritating voice called out as Hinata was yelling something about “Great King! Ace!”.

 

Uh oh.

 

Tobio scrambled off of his bed and to his feet. Well, he tried to, anyway. Instead, he ended up tangled in the sheets and found himself sprawled across the floor. “Ow,” he muttered as his back slammed against the hard wood.

 

There was a string of cursing from down the hall and then some shouting before his door was flung open. Iwaizumi stomped inside, a scowl across his face. He stopped short when he caught sight of Tobio. Tobio stared at him with wide eyes as Iwaizumi’s mouth began to twitch slightly.

 

A loud laugh made Tobio turn his attention toward the doorway. Oikawa was leaning against the door frame, his hand over his mouth as he giggled. “Having a little trouble, Tobio-chan?”

 

Tobio blushed and pushed the blankets away from his legs. “Kageyama-kun? Are you okay?” Hinata squeaked from behind Oikawa. Tobio saw his…friend… push his way past the older boys and to his side. He reached down, probably to help Tobio up, but paused. “Uh…is it okay to touch you? I mean, I don’t want you to…and Tsukishima said…”

 

“I’m fine,” Tobio hissed as he finally managed to untangle himself. He pushed himself to his feet and kept his eyes avoided from the two older boys in his room. Why were they even here?

 

“Can you leave us alone, Chibi-chan?” Oikawa asked, his voice falsely sweet once he finally stopped giggling. Hinata looked hesitant.

 

“I don’t think this is a good time-“

 

“It really wasn’t a question,” Oikawa cut in, his smile becoming sharp. His eyes were flashing as he spoke and Hinata jerked back into Tobio.

 

Tobio flinched as the smaller boy’s body pressed against his momentarily before Hinata jumped away from him with a yelp. “Sorry! Sorry! Kageyama-kun, are you-“

 

“Fine,” Tobio grunted out, despite the sudden pressure in his chest. “I’ll talk to them, Hinata.”

 

Hinata still seemed hesitant but he let out a sigh as his eyes travelled from Iwaizumi, to Oikawa, finally back to Tobio. “I’ll just be in the kitchen,” he announced. “We need dinner, after all! Call me if you…” he broke off once more, clearly at a loss for what exactly to say in front of the other two boys.

 

Tobio shifted uncomfortably, “Uh, I don’t know if there is anything in the kitchen-“

 

“I’m sure there’s something,” Hinata replied, waving his hand as he scooted past Oikawa warily. “I’m not picky.”

 

_That’s not what I meant…_

But he didn’t have a chance to say anything else before he was left alone with Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

 

Tobio glanced between the two standing in front of him and then turned his eyes toward the blankets on the floor. Of course, they had been here when he managed to get himself all knotted up. Of course, he had been on the floor. Of course they saw him.

 

Why would he think his luck would be any different than it had been his entire life?

 

A loud sigh broke his thoughts and Tobio’s eyes moved up quickly. Oikawa had his hands on his hips and a pout on his face as he stared at his soulmate and best friend. Iwaizumi was staring back, his own green eyes narrowed. It was as if they were having some sort of conversation that only the two of them could understand. Tobio felt something in his chest squeeze at the thought. The two of them had known each other for years. They knew the other person inside and out.

 

Why did they need him?

 

_They didn’t._

The answer echoed throughout his head. They didn’t need him. The two of them were fine without him.

 

_So why were they here?_

Oikawa let out yet another loud and pointed sigh and then turned his eyes to Tobio. Tobio took a quick step back. That was the same look Oikawa got on his face when he was sizing him up on the court. The same look he had right before he was going to serve.

 

It was a look Tobio had learned to be to be wary of.

 

“So, Tobio-kun, something you want to tell us?” Oikawa asked, the viciousness in his voice barely hidden beneath the sugary tone.

 

Tobio’s arms tightened around his body. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to talk about this. Why was Oikawa upset with him? It wasn’t as if it was his fault! He hadn’t known –

 

“Kageyama, I think we all need to talk,” Iwaizumi said bluntly and Tobio nodded instantly at the familiar tone. It was the same one he had used in junior high when he was giving out orders to the volleyball team.

 

It seemed not much had changed.

 

Iwaizumi moved slowly toward Tobio’s desk and pulled out the chair. He sat leisurely and Tobio hurriedly sat on his bed. He moved back, pressing his back against the wall, and pulled his knees up to his chest. He then peered over his knees at the other two in his room.

 

Iwaizumi was once again doing some sort of eyebrow thing at Oikawa, whose pout deepened as he stared back. Iwaizumi scowled and Oikawa let out a kind of…whine. “Sit down, Trashykawa!” Iwaizumi finally growled and Oikawa’s pout intensified even further as he sank to the floor, pressing his own back against the wall. He pulled up his knees to his chest and Tobio briefly wondered if the other boy was trying to make fun of him as he mimicked his pose.

 

“Not exactly what I meant,” Iwaizumi muttered as his hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

 

“I _sat_ , didn’t I?” Oikawa snapped back and Iwaizumi sent him a look that had Oikawa rolling his eyes dramatically and snapping his mouth shut. His eyes moved back toward Tobio and said boy quickly fixed his own gaze back on Iwaizumi.

 

The third-year ace was slowly looking around Tobio’s room. For the first time, Tobio really became aware of the fact that his room was…almost completely bare. His walls were white without any form of furnishings. The only thing on his floor was a pile of volleyball magazines and his volleyball equipment. And the stupid sheets.

 

Beyond that, his school books were on his desk. A computer was pushed to one side, next to another pile of volleyball DVD’s. And that was it.

 

He didn’t have any pictures of himself with friends or family. He had never collected anything. His room was almost as empty of personality as the rest of his house. And he actually lived in here.

 

Tobio wondered what the two boys were thinking when they saw it.

 

Finally, Iwaizumi’s eyes came to rest on Tobio.

 

He wasn’t sure if that was an improvement.

 

Iwaizumi seemed to not know where to start. He was staring at Tobio, taking in his hunched position and the multitude of bruises on his arms. Not surprising really. Tobio knew the other boy would have the same ones decorating his own –rather bigger – arms.

  
Maybe he was just double checking. After all, there could always be some sort of mix up. Some sort of mistake.

 

But only one looked proved that they were right.

 

“You never responded to my messages,” Iwaizumi finally started. “Last night…were you okay?”

 

Last night? Had he been okay?

 

He didn’t know how to answer that question.

 

“Of course he wasn’t, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa hissed from his place by the door, “We both felt it. I thought I was dying!”

 

Oh. They were able to feel that.

 

“And again, earlier tonight! What were you _doing_ , Tobio-chan?”

 

Was that the entire reason they were here? Because they hadn’t been able to breathe? Were they actually worried about him or were they worried about themselves? Would they have even bothered if it hadn’t happened?

 

He…

 

…couldn’t think.

 

His chest hurt.

 

His palms were wet.

 

He couldn’t _breathe_.

 

Tobio closed his eyes tightly and pressed his face against his knees as he struggled for breath. He heard gasped curses coming from somewhere in front of him and then someone was touching him. Tobio jerked back, slamming his head against the wall as he tried to escape. “Tobio-chan…stop…look at me. _Breathe_!” Tobio’s eyes opened and he stared at the boy in front of him. Oikawa was kneeling in front of him, Iwaizumi beside him. Oikawa shifted closer and pressed his forehead against Tobio’s, making the boy’s breathing become even more troubled. However, he found his eyes locked onto the light brown ones in front of him.

 

He knew those eyes.

 

They usually terrified him.

 

But now…

 

Now they made him feel…

 

Tobio gasped and found that his breathing was slowly regulating itself. Oikawa didn’t move away from him, pressing himself even closer into Tobio’s personal space. Iwaizumi was shifting forward, sitting beside Tobio and pressing their arms together. It wasn’t until Tobio’s breathing was fully under control that Oikawa slowly moved away from him. He sank down onto the bed and rested his head on Iwaizumi’s legs as his own body spread out in front of Tobio’s compact form. “Iwa-chan!” He whined loudly as he rubbed a hand against his chest.

 

Tobio blinked down at him as Iwaizumi’s hand wove itself in Oikawa’s fluffy hair. Tobio couldn’t help but wonder if the hair was as soft as it looked. Oikawa really was attractive. Very attractive. Too bad his personality was so bad.

 

He didn’t notice that Oikawa was staring at him with a smirk plastered across his face until Iwaizumi cleared his throat. Tobio blushed and quickly looked away.

 

Well, that was embarrassing.

 

“Well, I guess we know what happened,” Iwaizumi said lowly. Tobio realized that the other boy was still leaning against him.

 

Why wasn’t he pulling away?

 

“I’m going to assume this is a new problem, since neither of us has ever felt something like it before,” Iwaizumi muttered. Tobio felt his face grow even hotter. “We can talk about that another time,” Iwaizumi said quickly, as if he was afraid mentioning it again would cause Tobio to explode.

 

Though, Tobio couldn’t really confirm that it wouldn’t.

 

“So, let’s start at the beginning,” Iwaizumi continued. “When did you know that we were-“

 

“How long have you been spying on us, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa demanded, though he didn’t shift from his position. Tobio glanced down and quickly looked away as Oikawa’s eyes bore into him. Again. “You could have mentioned you were there! I’ve written so many things-“

 

“Shut up, Trashykawa-“

 

“Stop _calling_ me that!”

 

Tobio cracked a smile that he quickly hid behind his hand. Oikawa continued to complain loudly but Iwaizumi seemed to be tuning it out.

 

He was probably used to it.

 

“This is getting us nowhere,” Iwaizumi sighed out. He lightly tapped on Oikawa’s cheek. “Oi! Sit up and talk to us properly.”

 

“But Iwa-“

 

“Now, Shittykawa!”

 

“That’s even _worse_!” Oikawa yelped as he quickly sat up. He sat crossed legged on the bed in front of Tobio as he pouted at Iwaizumi. “Fine! Say something! You’re the reason I’m here anyway! So, talk!”

 

Tobio shied away from Oikawa’s tone and, in return, from Iwaizumi. “Oi! Where are you going?” Iwaizumi demanded.

 

Tobio froze. “Nowhere.”

 

Both Iwaizumi and Oikawa were looking at him contemplatively and Tobio was definitely uncomfortable. He kept his own eyes away from both of them. He didn’t know why they were looking at him like that but he didn’t like it.

 

Thankfully, a knock broke through the awkward moment and they all turned toward the door as Hinata cautiously poked his head inside. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the three of them sitting on the bed. “Uh, sorry. But you don’t have any food and I know you have to be hungry. And I am too. And I don’t know if the two of you have eaten anything or if you were planning on eating anything. And Kageyama-kun, your mom still isn’t home so- “

 

“She won’t be,” Tobio finally said, cutting the other boy off. He was tired. Tired of hiding this and tired of Hinata’s rambling. “She doesn’t live here. I haven’t had time to go shopping,” he muttered shamefully.

 

Silence. Tobio pulled away from the warmth Iwaizumi was exuding and managed to slide off the bed without touching Oikawa and without falling all over himself. “I think there is some money on the table,” he muttered as he walked toward Hinata, “we can order something- “

 

“Wait!” Hinata said loudly, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly hanging open as he stared at Tobio. “Your mom doesn’t – but I thought you said you didn’t know your dad!”

 

Tobio frowned. What did that have to do with anything? “I don’t.”  


“But who do you live with?” Hinata demanded loudly.

 

Tobio hated it when Hinata got like this. So loud. “No one! Now do you want food or not?!”

 

“Go order some food, Chibi-chan,” a voice cut in and Tobio felt his shoulders tense at the dangerous tone Oikawa was holding. “Iwa-chan and I will pay.”

 

Hinata seemed to look from Tobio to the boys behind him for a moment longer before nodding his head and walking back out the door, slamming it closed behind him.

 

Tobio didn’t turn back around as the bed squeaked behind him. He didn’t want to look at them. Would they think he was pathetic? His own mother had abandoned him, after all.

 

It wasn’t like they had ever wanted to know him anyway.

 

Maybe this would be another reason for them.

 

“Kageyama? Do you want to sit back down?”

 

No. No, he didn’t want to sit back down. He wanted this to all be over with.

 

“Tooru, don’t-“

 

“Yoohoo! Earth to Tobio-chan!” Oikawa yelled out loudly, suddenly appearing within Tobio’s eye line. Tobio flinched back, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to get away. A hand caught his arm before he could fall and Tobio jerked, trying to dislodge it. “Woah, Tobio-chan! Calm down!”

 

Tobio continued to pull at his arm, trying to get away from the hold. “Let him go, Tooru!” Iwaizumi finally snapped. Oikawa’s hand dropped instantly.

 

“Let’s just start back at the beginning,” Iwaizumi said calmly as he came to stand beside Oikawa. “The three of us have a poly bond. You have to understand, Kageyama, this is fairly new to us. I’ve suspected it for awhile but Oikawa – well, it’s new.”

 

“You could have _told_ me!”

 

“I wasn’t sure at the time!” Iwaizumi growled out as he rolled his eyes. Tobio wondered how many times the two of them had had this conversation.

 

And just how new was ‘new’?

 

“So, you’re going to need to give us some time to get…used to the idea,” Iwaizumi continued as he ducked down to catch Tobio’s eye. “But I think we need to…make an effort, all right? No more ignoring. No more pretending that this doesn’t exist. Can you do that?”

 

Tobio kept his eyes down. Could he do that? His mother’s image intruded in his mind. Her furious eyes. Her hands wrapped around his arms as she stared down at the bruises and words. Her harsh words.

 

But his mother wasn’t here.

 

She didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

 

She was moving to Tokyo.

 

“Yes,” he agreed lowly. Iwaizumi let out a small smile in response to the word and tension Tobio hadn’t even realized was present seemed to seep from the third years body.

 

“Okay,” Iwaizumi agreed, “We’ll take it slow. See how it goes. Now,” he said as he stood up fully and turned toward the door. “Let’s go see how the little guy is doing with dinner. Did we actually tell him what to order?”

 

Iwaizumi moved out of the door and down the hall. Tobio moved to follow him but his path was blocked by Oikawa. Oikawa, who was staring at him with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. “Listen, Tobio-chan,” he said lowly, any falsity completely gone from his voice. “You and I? No. I can’t stop Iwa-chan. He wouldn’t listen if I tried. But you are the second to last person I will ever be in a relationship with. And in the end? I will win. He’s always been mine and he always will be.”

 

With a pit in his stomach, Tobio watched as Oikawa followed after Iwaizumi, a bounce in his step.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! The responses from last chapter were great! I hope you guys like this one as well. It's a little short, again. Sorry!

To say that dinner had been an awkward affair would be putting it lightly. Oikawa was acting as if nothing was wrong, being cheerful and smiling brightly as he asked Tobio and Hinata questions about their team and school. Iwaizumi kept looking at Tobio with a frown on his face as he told Oikawa to stop talking. Probably because Tobio was squeezing his utensils hard enough that he was surprised they didn’t break. And Hinata was being his usual self and kept stuttering over his words anytime he had to talk to the “Great King!”.

 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi left quickly after that but not before Iwaizumi reminded Tobio to respond to their messages from now on. Tobio was then forced to admit that he had deleted their numbers after the final Kitagawa Daiichi game. Iwaizumi had instantly asked Tobio for his phone to save his own number but Tobio could see Oikawa’s scowling face in the background.

 

Tobio didn’t understand. Shouldn’t Oikawa have been happy that Tobio had deleted his number? It wasn’t like the older boy had wanted him to use it anyway. In the end, Oikawa had just told Iwaizumi to save his number in Tobio’s phone as well.

 

Then they were gone and Tobio was left in the house with Hinata.

 

“So,” Hinata started softly after the door closed. Tobio kept his front facing the wall. He didn’t really want to look at the small redhead. “Your soulmates are the Great King and the Ace?”

 

Tobio nodded his head shortly and then there was wailing. He turned around quickly, surprised and a little worried, but Hinata was just standing there with his head buried in his hands. “Ooh! That is so cool! Why does all the cool stuff get to happen to you?! It isn’t fair!”

 

Cool?

 

Tobio knew he accused Hinata of being an idiot on a regular basis but he didn’t know how true that statement really was until right that moment.

 

The two boys had watched some of Tobio’s volleyball videos, “so cool!” before heading off to bed. It had been a long day for both of them. A long week.

 

The next day they didn’t have classes but they did have practice. Hinata and Tobio both woke early and stopped at a store down the street for a quick breakfast before heading toward the gym. Hinata was chattering all the way, mostly about things that Tobio had no interest in and easily tuned out, until the boy got oddly silent when they were only a few minutes from Karasuno.

 

“Hey, Kageyama-kun?” Hinata questioned softly. Tobio turned his head to the side at the questioning tone. “Is it – I mean, do you not want people to know about the Great King? I won’t tell if you don’t want me to.”

 

Oh.

 

His team now knew that he knew his soulmate.

 

They knew a lot of things he would rather them not know.

 

But –

 

“Sugawara-san answered my phone last night, didn’t he?” Tobio asked as his mind flew over the events from the previous night. Hinata nodded hesitantly as he bit his lip. “There was only one reason for Iwaizumi-san to call me at that time… and I don’t even know what he said. Sugawara-san might already know about Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Hinata shifted a bit awkwardly and began to fiddle with the strap of his gym bag. “I mean – well, yeah? Like, Sugawara answered the phone and there was yelling about what the hell was going on!” Hinata said, his voice gruff in his imitation of Iwaizumi. “I think we all knew that Iwaizumi was your soulmate. I just – I didn’t know if you wanted people to know about the _Great King_.”

 

Tobio stopped in his tracks, staring down at his friend incredulously. “I- you could have mentioned that before, dumbass!”

 

“I thought you knew, Bakayama!” Hinata snapped back. Tobio felt the panic that had been building in his chest lessen at the words.

 

“Well I didn’t!”  


“Well you do now!”

 

Tobio let out an aggravated huff and set off toward the gym, making sure to walk quicker than before so Hinata would have to run to keep up. “Most of our team knows that Iwaizumi and Oikawa are soulmates. If they know that Iwaizumi is also my soulmate, they’re going to know about Oikawa too.”

 

“Oh,” Hinata said with a look of realization. Tobio snorted and the two boys found themselves at the doors of the gym.

 

Tobio’s hands shook slightly as he and Hinata made their way inside. But no one said anything about the night before. He was greeted by those that usually greeted him, glared at by Tsukishima, and then they were practicing. Tobio felt himself relax fully for the first time in what felt like days as the volleyball was placed in his hand. “Practice game!” Ukai announced after they had warmed up a bit. “Asahi, Ennoshita, Tsukishima, Noya, Yamaguchi, and Sugawara. Red team. Daichi, Tanaka, Kageyama, Hinata, Kinoshita, and Narita, white. Come on, let’s go!”

 

Kageyama hurriedly got into position while members of the opposing team donned the red practice jerseys.

 

It was a pretty evenly matched game. Kageyama used both Tanaka and Hinata to their full advantage and Daichi was easily able to boost up their defense. In the end, Kageyama’s team won 25-23.

 

The second game ended up the other way, with their team losing 19-25.

 

Both teams had things to work on, that much was obvious. They needed more practice. He was standing beside the rest of his team, taking a drink of water, when Hinata turned toward him. “Kageyama-kun! You can still go, right? Give me some tosses!”

 

“Right!” Tobio confirmed, heading back out onto the court. He wasn’t ready to lose that sense of calm that filled him when he was holding the ball. Plus, Hinata needed all the practice he could get.

 

“We have to clean up!” Daichi yelled after them, “So that’s enough for today!”

 

“Right…” both Tobio and Hinata muttered, sharing a glance that showed neither of them were happy with the idea. But they joined the rest of the team in cool down stretches. Maybe they could go somewhere else after this and practice a bit more.

 

Tobio glanced up when the gym door flew open. Takeda had run inside –well, he tried too, anyway. Tobio wondered what the man had tripped over. He, and the rest of the team, stood and made their way over to the teacher as he lay face down, on the floor. “Take-chan?” Coach Ukai asked and Tobio turned his head quickly to look at his coach. Take-chan? “You alright?”

 

“We-we’re going, right?” Sensei stuttered.

 

“Where?” Hinata asked as Takeda finally pushed himself up so they could see his face.

 

But Tobio was worried about something else. “Hey! Your nose is bleeding!”

 

Takeda ignored him. “Tokyo!”

 

What? Tokyo? Why would they be going to Tokyo?

 

“Tokyo?” Hinata questioned, a smile beginning to spread across his face. “You mean…Nekoma?”

 

Oh. No wonder he looked so happy. Hinata had a weird friendship with that setter from Nekoma. Not that Tobio was jealous. No. Not at all.

 

“A practice match?” Tobio questioned.

 

“Yeah, but it won’t just be Nekoma this time!” Takeda responded, finally getting to his feet and wiping the blood from his face. Good. The sight of it was making Tobio nauseous. “The Fukurodani Academy Group. It’s a group of schools from the Kanto region that includes Nekoma. Apparently, they hold practice matches all the time. This time, because of Coach Nekomata, Karasuno will also be able to participate in their practice matches!”

 

Tobio’s mind began to swim. A group of practice matches? Schools from the Kanto region? Fukurodani? He knew of them. They were a powerhouse school. They made it to Nationals every year. One of the top five aces in the nation played on their team.

 

They were going to get to practice with them.

 

Tobio felt something like laughter welling in his chest. But it wasn’t laughter. It was…anticipation? Excitement? He didn’t know.

 

He liked it.

 

“Groups like that are created through relationships built up over years,” Coach Ukai mused. “So, it’s not easy to get in without connections. We’ve got to make sure to thank Coach Nekomata.” He turned his attention toward the team. “And sensei too, who I’m sure kept persistently asking him.”

 

Takeda looked startled, “Who- no! I didn’t really... your name helped a lot, Coach Ukai.”

 

But Tobio and the rest of his team knew the truth. As one, they all bowed. “Thank you!”

 

There was a startled silence for a moment and then Takeda began to speak, his voice calm and fond. “Over the years, we’ve lost our connections with other schools in the prefecture that we were once close with. There are many schools where the coaches that were once close to the former Coach Ukai are now gone. We shouldn’t miss this chance!”

 

Tobio’s mind was already thinking of the Nekoma setter. The way he played. He had even fooled Tsukishima! “I’m going to be able to see that set up in person again.”

 

“This time, I’m going to protect us until we win!” Noya yelled out.

 

“We’re going to take down the City Boy Alliance!” Tanaka screamed.

 

Tobio rolled his eyes at Tanaka but when he did so he saw Hinata was literally shaking from happiness. “This time, I’m going to break through for sure!”

 

Tobio smirked. Yes. They would break through. They would win.

 

“Um, the only thing is,” Takeda started warily. “their prelims for Inter-High start this weekend. So, it won’t be right away.” Oh. They hadn’t done Inter-High yet. They were still playing. “Also, at this point, we’ve only received the invitation. There are some agreements we have to work out, but I’ll tell you the details another time.”

 

Tobio was still excited as they cleaned up the gym and headed home. They were going to Tokyo. At some point, anyway. They were going to play Nekoma again. And Fukurodani. And the other schools in their group.

 

They were going to learn from them.

 

They were going to win.

 

And then, during Spring High, they would beat Aoba Johsai.

 

It was when the school crossed his mind that Tobio hesitantly took out his phone. He wanted to tell someone about this but the only people he was…close…to were other people on the team. Maybe he could tell…

 

**_Iwaizumi-san:_ **

****

**_Sent 13:21: our school was invited to a series of practice matches in Tokyo!_ **

****

As soon as he hit send, Tobio wished there was a way to get it back. Why did he do that? He was sure Iwaizumi wouldn’t care that Karasuno got invited to Tokyo…but hadn’t he said they needed to learn about each other? And Tobio was excited. So…shouldn’t he want to share that?

 

He had just stepped into his house when his phone went off.

 

**_Iwaizumi-san:_ **

****

**_Received 13:46: That’s great! You excited?_ **

****

Tobio let out a breath of relief. So, it wasn’t wrong for him to send it. And it looked like Iwaizumi wanted to continue the conversation. However, he didn’t get a chance to reply before he received yet another message.

 

**_Trashykawa:_ **

****

**_Received 13:46: Rude, Tobio-chan!_ **

****

**_Received 13:47: who are you playing with in Tokyo_ **

****

**_Received 13:47: u can’t just ignore me_ **

****

Tobio let out an aggravated sigh. Of course they were together. Of course Oikawa would want to know about practice matches. Why would he have thought otherwise?

 

**_Iwaizumi-san:_ **

****

**_Sent 13:48: very. Our old rivals are a school in the Kanto region and they invited us._ **

****

**_Trashykawa:_ **

****

**_Sent 13:49: I wsnt ignoring u. Karasuno’s rival is Nekoma. They r part of the Fukurodani group._ **

****

**_Received 13:50: WHEN_ **

****

**_Sent 13:51: don’t know yet_ **

****

**_Iwaizumi-san:_ **

****

**_Received 13:53: sorry about trashykawa. Sounds like it’ll be fun. And it’s a trip to Tokyo. We have practice now so I’ll message you later._ **

 

Tobio closed his phone and set it on his desk. They were going to Tokyo. They were going to practice with some of the best schools in the nation. And then they would improve and be able to show everyone in Miyagi what they could do.


	11. Chapter 11

Tobio couldn’t say that the excitement had faded even a week later. He couldn’t wait until the dates were set. He had been practicing during every spare moment and usually Hinata joined him. The boy still needed a lot of work but he seemed to be improving. At least a bit.

 

Not to mention he felt…good.

 

He hadn’t heard a word from his mother since that day at the house and he felt like a big weight had been lifted off of his shoulders just knowing that she was in Tokyo, hours away from him. He wouldn’t be running into her when he went shopping or seeing her on the street. And he had been communicating with Iwaizumi on and off, mostly just stupid little updates but Tobio would admit that it made him a little happy every time he found a message waiting for him.

 

He hadn’t heard from Oikawa since the day he asked about the games.

 

Not that it bothered him.

 

Not at all.

 

He was standing in the club room, changing into his training clothes, when Tanaka let out a loud yell. Tobio glanced over and felt his eyebrows rise as he saw the furious look on the other boy’s face as he stared down at a volleyball magazine. Curious, Tobio walked closer and looked over Tanaka’s shoulder.

 

Oh.

 

A picture of Oikawa stared up at him.

 

He swallowed hard.

 

“Oikawa’s featured in _Monthly Volleyball_ ,” Tanaka growled, “and it even has his picture.”

 

Tobio stared down at the picture of Oikawa. It was a good picture. A _very_ good picture.

 

“Well, he’s good enough to play in a national league,” Suga commented and Tobio could feel the older boys’ eyes settling on him. “So, what does it say?”

 

“Uh,” Tanaka started, eyes squinting as he looked at the smaller words. “Oikawa’s favorite food is-“

 

_Milk bread._

“-milk bread. His favorite saying is, ‘If you’re going to hit it, hit it until it breaks’.”

 

_Not really a surprise._

“What the hell is that?” Suga questioned incredulously as his eyes turned more firmly to Tobio.

 

“Who cares?” Noya demanded, “That’s completely useless!”

 

Tobio scanned the rest of the page and paused on a picture of Iwaizumi standing next to #2 and #3. “Looks like Seijoh wants to take down Shiratorizawa, so most of the third-year regulars are still there.”

 

Tanaka and Hinata began to yell about wanting to beat Aoba Johsai and Tobio felt his lips twitch as he watched them. Not one person had mentioned the fact that Iwaizumi and, in turn, Oikawa were his soulmates. They were acting the same way they always did when the other team came up.

 

He was thankful for it.

 

“Oh, it’s Ushiwaka,” Suga commented. He had somehow managed to get the magazine from Tanaka when Kageyama was lost in his thoughts.

 

“Japan?!” Hinata gasped out in surprise.

 

Suga didn’t answer as the club room door opened and Daichi stood there. “Come on! We’re going for a run!”

 

Suga tilted his head to the side, looking at their captain over his shoulder. “Hey…Ushiwaka’s in the Youth World,” he told his friend.

 

Tobio’s hands clenched. Ushiwaka. He had heard that name many, many times since he started volleyball in junior high. Even Iwaizumi had brought the name up more than once in the last week. And Kageyama will never forget that Ushiwaka was at the top of Oikawa’s shit list.

 

Tobio had only managed to rank second.

 

And he knew how much the other boy hated him.

 

He couldn’t imagine how much Oikawa hated Ushiwaka.

 

“Only one high school can represent Miyagi in the spring tournament,” Daichi commented and Tobio tuned back into the conversation. “For us to go to nationals, we’ll have to defeat Ushiwaka and Oikawa.” Tobio’s shoulders hunched at the words. He knew they would have to win against Ushiwaka. Against Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

How much more would Oikawa hate him after that happened?

 

…would Iwaizumi even continue talking to him?

 

“Let’s go running!” Daichi yelled out firmly.

 

“Right!”

 

They left the clubroom and followed after Daichi as he made his way down the street. The boys were all chattering around him as Tobio found himself once again lost in thought. When they finally made it to Tokyo, he knew that his team was going to improve. They had come so, so close at Inter High. But Aoba Johsai had won. They had been better.

 

But even they had lost to Shiratorizawa.

 

“I’ll race you!” Hinata yelled out, placing his hands on Tobio’s shoulders and jumping up into the air.

 

“Let go!” Tobio yelled out, moving away from the smaller boy.

 

Tsukishima scoffed beside him, “You never learn, do you shorty?”

 

Hinata crossed his arms over his chest, “He’s fine! He’s just being a buttmunch!”

 

“Hey!” Tobio yelled back but he didn’t bother to continue his sentence as the group came to a halt.

 

“Here we are!” Tanaka declared. “Karasuno’s famous Heartbreak Hill.”

 

“All right!” Daichi yelled out, clapping his hands together as he surveyed the group. “Ten dashes uphill to the halfway mark! Two at a time!”

 

Tobio glanced down and saw that Hinata was already looking up at him with bright eyes. Tobio nodded his head in confirmation and Hinata smiled back happily. “Let’s do it!”

 

They lined up into two lines and moved forward as each group of two took off running up the hill. When Tobio and Hinata finally got up to the line, they shared one last challenging glance between them and then prepared. “Go!” Daichi yelled out and Tobio ran as fast as he could, feeling the burn in his legs as he and Hinata dashed up the hill, side by side. He pushed himself faster, wanting to win against the other boy. Despite his smaller legs, Hinata was quick.

 

Tobio knew that they were passing some of the other boys, he thought a few of them even yelled at them to slow down, but he didn’t pay attention to the warning. He wasn’t going to lose! Especially to Hinata.

 

Tobio thought that he was actually running faster. Hinata was pushing himself and Tobio was rising to the challenge. They were going to-

 

Wait.

 

Tobio stopped, skidding to a halt. Hinata was beside him. As one, they turned and glanced over their shoulders. “No one’s behind us,” Hinata gasped. He then turned toward Tobio with a glare, “You totally went the wrong way, didn’t you?!”

 

He went the wrong way? Idiot!

 

“That’d be you, dumbass!” He yelled back. He had been following Hinata after all.

 

Hinata glared at him before letting his eyes roam. “Where are we?” the boy finally asked.

 

Tobio moved his eyes away from the smaller boy and looked around. Huh. He had never been here before. He looked up, glancing at the street sign. “Wakano 3-chome?” He questioned. “Isn’t Wakano near Shiratorizawa?”

 

Hinata gasped. “Shiratorizawa? You mean Ushiwaka’s school?”

 

“Did you need something from me?” A deep voice asked. Tobio turned his head slowly, dread pooling in his stomach.

 

He stared at the boy in front of him. He was tall. Taller than even Oikawa. His shoulders were broad. Maybe even more broad than Iwaizumi’s.

 

Oh shit. Why did he suddenly feel the need to snap a picture of the boy and send it to his soulmates? It was completely irrational – he was pretty sure they already knew what he looked like.

 

Apparently, the silence had gone on long enough because Ushiwaka turned his head away from them. “If you don’t need anything, I’ll be leaving.” He started to jog away and Tobio found himself speaking before he could even think about it.

 

“We came from Karasuno!” he yelled out after the other boy. He stopped. “Would you mind if we did some recon on Shiratorizawa?”

 

Form the corner of his eye, he could see Hinata turn to him in horror. But he didn’t care. He had already asked. Might as well see what the other boy said.

 

“Karasuno…” Ushiwaka muttered as he looked over his shoulder. “The team that uses that weird quick attack?”

 

Tobio blinked in surprise. He had heard of them? From who?

 

“Do as you like,” Ushiwaka continued. “No matter what your abilities may be, we won’t get weaker just because you watched us.” Wait…did he just insult them? “I’m heading back to school now,” he continued. If you want to look, follow me. If you can keep up.”

 

_If we can keep up? You have to be kidding me._

“Of course we’re going,” Tobio snapped out, suddenly understanding why Oikawa disliked this guy so much. “We’re going to defeat you at the spring tournament. Of course we’ll watch!”

 

Hinata broke off Tobio’s monologue. “Are you running by yourself?”

 

“Everyone else is just slow,” Ushiwaka informed them. “They’re back there somewhere.”

 

Hinata looked over his shoulder, probably looking for Ushiwaka’s team, but Tobio started to run, following behind Ushiwaka who had started to run. “Kageyama!” Hinata yelled out. “Don’t you dare get a head start!”

 

“You’re just slow!” Tobio returned, yelling off of his shoulder.

 

_As expected, he runs at a fast pace._

The thought had barely passed his mind when suddenly Hinata was in front of him, bounding along happily. “Whoo Hoo! I’m super excited!”

 

Tobio picked up his speed. How had he not noticed the other boy passing him? “Calm down, dumbass! Are you a dog? Are you out for your first walk, you idiot?!”

 

The sun was beginning to set as they passed through the gates of Shiratorizawa Academy. Tobio came to a stop as he saw the school.

 

“It’s so big!” Hinata gasped. “Their school building looks so cool!” He ran forward a bit before coming to a stop yet again. “What’s with this super huge athletic field?” He turned around again and shook his head. “This place is so big that they need a sign!” Tobio couldn’t keep his eyes focused as Hinata darted around the campus, yelling things at each stop. “Kageyama, horses! They have horses!” and then “The volleyball team has its own bus!”

 

Okay, enough was enough. “Hey! Don’t get lost!”

 

“I won’t!” Hinata denied. Tobio rolled his eyes at the idiot boy and turned to Ushiwaka- wait, where was Ushiwaka?!

 

“We’ve lost sight of Ushiwaka-san!” Hinata wailed, bouncing around the parking lot.

 

They spent what felt like hours searching around the campus. Finally, they came across what looked like a gym. “This looks like it might be the volleyball team’s gym,” Tobio said lowly, glancing around to make sure no one was around him. They walked closer and Tobio leaned down to look through the small windows.

 

“Hey! Can you see Ushiwaka?” Hinata questioned as he hovered over Tobio’s shoulder. Then he leaned down as well and Tobio couldn’t help but flinch as the boy pressed up against him and caused him to lose his balance.

 

“Shut up!” Tobio snapped. “Don’t push!”

 

“Isn’t that another school?” Hinata asked, ignoring Tobio’s comments. Tobio stared through the window with furrowed brows. Wasn’t that… “Is it a practice match? Who are they playing?” Hinata continued.

 

“Aren’t those college students?” Tobio thought out loud.

 

Hinata turned toward him sharply. “College?”

 

“Well, no other high school in the prefecture stands a chance against Shiratorizawa,” Tobio continued, ignoring the boy beside him. “They’d have to go out of the prefecture or have a college team come in for it to even count as practice.”

 

The words seemed to infuriate Hinata. “Curse you, Japan!”

 

Tobio wondered if that was Hinata’s new nickname for Ushiwaka or if he just couldn’t remember what the other boys name was.

 

Not that his name was actually Ushiwaka anyway.

 

“Took you long enough,” the boy himself muttered as he walked by them into the gym. Tobio blinked in surprise. Where had the boy gone that he was just now getting there?

 

“I’m Kageyama from Karasuno High,” Tobio said quickly before the other boy could disappear into the gym. “Would you mind if I have a look?”

 

“Kageyama…” Ushiwaka mused and Tobio felt his shoulders stiffen. “From Kitagawa Daiichi.”

 

Tobio’s eyes widened. Of course that was how the other boy knew of him. Great. “Yes. I applied to this school but wasn’t accepted.”

 

“That’s not surprising,” Ushiwaka informed him. Tobio felt himself flinch back at the words. Was this another Oikawa situation?

 

_“I hope you are not considering going to Aoba Johsai.”_

 

“I remember seeing one of your matches in junior high,” the third year continued as he turned his intense focus on Tobio. “We don’t need a setter who can’t serve the ace at this school.”

 

Serve the ace? What about the rest of the team? That didn’t seem right to him. He might not have always had the best relationship with his teammates but he didn’t remember Oikawa ever pandering to Iwaizumi on the court. Or Suga to Asahi.

 

“True,” Hinata chirped, “you’re not really one to serve anyone.”

 

“What?” Tobio snapped.

 

“But that goes for the Great King, too,” Hinata continued and Tobio scowled at the fact that the two of them seemed to be on the same thought process. “He is the top setter in the prefecture, after all.”

 

“Oikawa-san has nothing to do with this!” Tobio snapped. He wasn’t sure why Hinata was bringing Oikawa into this conversation in the first place. He knew Tobio didn’t like to talk about the other boy.

 

“Oikawa?” Ushiwaka questioned and Tobio blinked in surprise when the third year turned to face fully them for the first time that day. “He is an efficient player. He should have come to our school.”

 

Tobio scowled. He knew that Oikawa disliked Ushiwaka but it seemed the feeling wasn’t mutual. He thought he might actually detect…admiration in the other’s voice.

 

For Oikawa.

 

“Are you saying that Oikawa-san would have been able to serve you?” Tobio growled out. Why did he suddenly feel…. irritation toward the third year?

 

Ushiwaka walked closer to them, “No matter where he is,” he started slowly, “Oikawa is a setter that can bring the absolute best out of his team.” _Well, I can’t disagree with that._ “If the teams absolute best is still weak, there’s nothing more to be done. If it is strong, he’ll make it as strong as possible. That is his ability.”

 

How many times had Tobio thought the same thing? That Oikawa was able to bring out the best in people around him. The best in his team. But still…

 

It pissed him off that Ushiwaka didn’t seem to talk about Oikawa’s overall skill as a setter.

 

“A sapling must have good soil in order to grow strong,” Ushiwaka lectured. Tobio blinked. Well, this was odd. “Infertile soil will not bring forth splendid fruit.”

 

“Infertile soil?” Hinata questioned. Tobio couldn’t say that he didn’t feel like doing the same. “What do you mean?”

 

“Other than Oikawa, everyone at Aoba Johsai is weak.”

 

_What did he just say?!_

Tobio’s mind flashed through images of their last game. Images of Kindaichi and Kunimi. Of Iwaizumi. Weak? They were not, in any way, weak.

 

And now Tobio was really pissed off.

 

He almost felt like unleashing Oikawa on Ushiwaka.

 

Maybe he should.

 

“If Seijoh is infertile soil,” Hinata said, his voice creepily calm. Tobio glanced to the side and flinched back at the look on the smaller boy’s face. He always thought Hinata looked scary when he got that intense look on his face. “Are we concrete or something?”

 

_He’s usually pretty scared of strong players he meets for the first time. But now…_

“I apologize if I hit a nerve,” Ushiwaka responded coolly. “But words from someone who lost to Aoba Johsai and couldn’t even stay in the prefecture finals mean nothing to me.”

 

It was then that a volleyball flew out of the still open gym door. Tobio could barely blink before Hinata took off. Ushiwaka jumped to grab the ball but Hinata was already there. Hinata snagged the ball out of the air and landed on his feet. Tobio smirked at the look of shock that passed over Ushiwaka’s face.

 

“I’m Hinata Shoyou from the concrete,” Hinata commented as he turned around, ball in hand. “I’m going to beat you and go to nationals.

 

The three boys stared at each other challengingly until Tobio heard a voice call out to them that they couldn’t be there. “Thank you for showing us around,” Hinata said calmly to Ushiwaka. “We’ll be going now.”  


Hinata began to leave but Tobio wasn’t done yet. “If Oikawa-san is the best setter in the prefecture,” he said quietly, “I’m the one who is going to surpass him. If you’ll excuse me,” Tobio bowed his head slightly and hurried after Hinata.

 

“In truth,” Tobio finally said as they made their way out of the gates, “we are a team that couldn’t beat Seijoh, who in turn couldn’t beat Shiratorizawa,” he was repeating his earlier thoughts.

 

“That doesn’t matter, as long as we beat them,” Hinata responded.

 

Tobio smirked at the words. Good. “Then we seem to be on the same page.”

 

“That’s why we’re going to Tokyo,” Hinata continued, “It’s best to go up against strong guys if you want to get stronger.”

 

“Agreed,” Tobio muttered as they headed back toward the school. The rest of the boys weren’t exactly happy when they returned. Apparently, Suga and Tanaka had been out searching for them for awhile. Daichi reprimanded them and then called it a night.

 

Tobio returned home and sank down onto the couch in the main room as he thought over the conversation from this afternoon. Ushiwaka seemed to hold Oikawa in high regard. And Tobio wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

 

But he was sure that he was angry that the boy had said the rest of Aoba Johsai was weak.

 

**_Iwaizumi:_ **

****

**_Sent 20:33: ran into Ushiwaka today_ **

****

**_Received 20:24: what? How did that happen?_ **

****

**_Sent 20:27: hinata and I got lost when running. Met him and followed him to Shiratorizawa._ **

****

**_Sent 20:28: I don’t like him_ **

****

**_Received 20:32: wow. Seems to be a reoccurring theme_ **

****

**_INCOMING CALL: TRASHYKAWA_ **

****

You have got to be kidding.

 

Tobio stared at his phone and watched as it went to voicemail. He should have known the second he brought up Ushiwaka it would break the silence from Oikawa.

 

**_Trashykawa:_ **

****

**_Received 20:38: ANSWER UR PHONE_ **

 

It began to ring once again and Tobio let out a growl before answering the call. “What?”

 

“That’s no way to talk to your _soulmate_ , Tobio-chan,” Oikawa growled out. “Why were you with Ushiwaka? And what did he say? Did you tell him?”

 

Tell him? “About the soulmate thing?” Tobio questioned in confusion. “Why would I do that?”

 

“Well, I don’t _know_!” Oikawa snapped. “Why were you talking to him in the first place?!”

 

“Hinata and I ran into him when we were running,” Tobio finally said, deciding it would be easier just to tell Oikawa about the incident. The other boy would manage to get it out of him anyway. “I asked him if we could go to Shiratorizawa-“

 

“You did _what_?!”

 

“-and he agreed. So, we went and saw that they were playing a practice match with a college team-“

 

“WHAT team?!”

 

“But then Ushiwaka started saying things about a sapling and growth or something. Then he started talking about you-“

 

“Of course he did. It’s _Ushiwaka_!”

 

“-and how you bring out the best of your teammates but then he said that you were the only strong person on your team and everyone else was weak.” Tobio said the rest of it quickly. He knew that the words were enough that Oikawa wouldn’t ask him anymore information. And, well, they would make him angry. But not angry at Tobio.

 

Angry at Ushiwaka.

 

“I’m sorry,” Oikawa said, his voice extremely polite. Tobio flinched. “Can you repeat the end of that? He said _what_ about my team?”

 

Yeah, he knew that would work.

 

“Uh, that they were weak?”

 

There was yet another moment of silence and then Oikawa let out a loud breath. “Oh, did he now? How interesting. Well,” he cleared his throat and pitched his voice at a higher – a fake – tone. “I’m going to let you go now, Tobio-chan. My _weak_ team and I need to do some practicing.”

 

“Aren’t you guys done for the night?”

 

“Not anymore.” Tobio bit his lip as the call ended and his screen went black. He wondered just how irritated Iwaizumi was going to be with the sudden increase of practice.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! Panic attack! If there is a possibility for triggering, don't read anything between the line breaks!
> 
> Now, THANK YOU for all the comments and kind words you guys are giving me! I'm really happy that all of you are enjoying this story so much!

It was at the end of practice a few days later that Tobio finally received the news he had been waiting for.

 

The team was sitting in the gym in a half circle around Coach Ukai and Takeda when the teacher finally informed them of what they had all been wondering. “…as for our series of away games in Tokyo,” Takeda started, “for the time being it’s scheduled for next month.”

 

Tobio felt his chest lighten. Next month. They would get to travel to Tokyo _next month_. Finally, they had a set timeline.

 

“Because they are away games,” Takeda continued, “we will need permission from your parents or guardians, so I’ll hand out those forms later.”

 

Tobio swallowed hard. Permission from parents or guardian?

 

How was he going to possibly get that?

 

Was he going to have to call his mom?

 

The thought brought that light feeling crashing down and something dark took its place. His mother. Needed to sign. The form. Or he wouldn’t be able to go.

 

“We also have tentative consent from the school as well,” Takeda continued to speak, completely unaware of the break down Tobio was currently experiencing. The first year tried to focus on the words. He needed to hear this. He could think about his mother later. “However, as you are aware, you have final exams starting next month.” Final exams? Next month?

 

How was he going to get his mother to sign that form when exams were next month?

 

“So, I think you know what I’m getting at,” Takeda said softly. Tobio still the heard the words like a battering ram within his brain. No, no, no, no, no! “If you fail any subjects, supplementary classes will be held that weekend.” No, no, no, no, no…

 

“Which means you won’t be able to go to the away games.”

 

And there it was.

 

Tobio vaguely heard the commotion break out around him but he wasn’t able to concentrate.

 

His mother. Form.

 

Exams.

 

_“…you won’t be able to go to the away games.”_

_­­­­­___________________________________________________________________________________

 

No, no, no.

 

No! NO!

 

He – he needed to go! He needed to…

 

…he needed to…

 

His head hurt. His chest hurt. He couldn’t breathe.

 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…

 

“Kageyama-kun’s not breathing!”

 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…

 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…

 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…

 

“Oi! Kageyama! Look at me!” Tobio’s eyes snapped open when someone touched his cheek. He pulled away from the touch and sucked in a deep breath as he struggled to get away. He couldn’t… there was no way that he could…

 

“Tobio-chan!” a voice gasped and Tobio tried to focus. Wait. No. That voice… “Tobio, listen to me! Breathe!” the person said, sounding as if they were struggling themselves. “Mr. Refreshing! Help him!”  


“Kageyama, look at me,” another voice suddenly said and Tsukishima was suddenly there. Tobio’s eyes latched onto the brown eyes hidden by glasses. “Just like last time, alright? Breathe with me…” he took in a deep breath and Tobio struggled to follow him. This continued on for a few moments and then, finally, Tobio let out a low, shaky breath.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

He closed his eyes tightly. It had happened again. It had happened in front of his team. In front of Takeda. In front of his _coach_.

 

_What is going to happen now?_

“Tobio-chan! Are you listening to me?!”

 

Oh no.

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open once more and he frantically scanned the gym. He wasn’t here. There was no possible way he could be in Karasuno. Oh no, was he now hearing his voice, too?!

 

“Hey! One of you make him listen to me!”

 

Tobio’s head continued to turn, trying to find the source of the noise. Finally, Tsukishima rolled his eyes and pointed at the phone in Hinata’s hand. Oh.

 

Wait, did Hinata call Oikawa?

 

Was he _insane_?

 

“Tobio-chan!”

 

“I’m fine,” Tobio finally snapped, grabbing the phone from Hinata and ending the call. Oh, he was going to pay for that later.

 

He avoided the eyes staring at him. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want anyone to-

 

“I’ve never had a two-digit score on any of my quizzes,” Hinata blurted out loudly. “Will it be okay?”

 

Tobio turned incredulous eyes on the other boy and saw that he wasn’t the only one doing so. And then there was more talking as everyone tried to figure out what they were going to do. Tobio didn’t move. He didn’t know how he was going to go to the practice games.

 

At the moment, it seemed impossible.

 

His phone was on silent, which was probably a good thing. He could feel it constantly shaking in his hand.

 

He supposed he should expect a visit from a very irritated soulmate soon.

 

“We still have time before exams start,” Daichi announced loudly. “There is no way Karasuno could do your best without these four idiots!”

 

Tobio had no idea what he was talking about. Four? But the exams weren’t even the biggest issue.

 

What about his mother?

 

“Come on, time to go to the clubroom!” Hinata informed a still lifeless Tobio. He blinked up at the boy, for hopefully the first and last time, and winced as Hinata wrapped his arm around him and pulled him to his feet. “The captain wants to talk to us! Get up!”

 

Tobio somehow found himself in the clubroom only a few minutes later. He was pushed down gently to the floor in front of the captain and he vaguely noticed that there were people sitting next to him. “Listen up you guys,” Daichi said firmly, making Tobio turn his attention toward him and away from his own internal musings. “The one thing that you’re going to promise me right now is that you will not fall asleep in class.”

 

Tobio winced. Oh. That could be an issue.

 

“Staying up late through sheer willpower. Screwing up in your classes and in club. It’s all absolutely unreasonable!”

 

Why was Daichi reminding him of Iwaizumi lecturing Oikawa?

 

Speaking of…why was his phone _still_ ringing?!

 

“Kageyama-kun,” Hinata whispered. Tobio leaned closer to the other boy. “Why don’t we ask Tsukishima for help?”

 

“Wh-no!” Tobio yelled, instantly pulling away. It was one thing for Tsukishima to help him when he was…it was something completely different for Tobio to actually _ask_ the other boy for assistance! Especially when it came to schoolwork!

 

“You have no right to be picky!” Hinata yelped back. “We can’t go to the away games if we fail!”  


_I might not be able to go anyway._

“It’s Nekoma!” Hinata continued his rant. “There’s gonna be plenty of strong schools from Tokyo! You’re okay with not being able to go?!” _But with my mother…_ “You told Ushiwaka that you’d become the best setter!”

 

Hinata was leaning way too close. Tobio moved back, glaring down at the smaller boy. He didn’t _want_ to ask Tsukishima for help! What if he studied the entire month, passed his exams, and then still couldn’t go?

 

But did he want to take the chance? What if his mother _did_ sign the form and then he failed?

 

Tobio knew his scowl was growing but he eventually nodded his consent. Hinata was on his feet instantly. “Come on then! We need to catch them before they get too far away!”  


Slowly moving to his own feet, Tobio grabbed his bag and phone – which was still ringing apparently – and followed the hurrying Hinata. They didn’t speak as they made their way down the street. Mostly because Tobio was not happy about what he was about to do and he really, really didn’t want to see the look on Tsukishima’s face.

 

Tobio fell back a step as Tsukishima and Yamaguchi came into sight. “Tsukishima!” Hinata yelled out. Tobio’s lips twitched as Tsukishima’s shoulders hunched momentarily at the sound before he and Yamaguchi turned around. “…san.”

 

He was _not_ calling him that.

 

“Help us study!” Hinata said loudly before lowering his voice. “Please.”

 

The usually stoic face blinked in surprise. “What? No.”

 

“Just, like, less than an hour each day!” Hinata tried once again, practically begging the blond. “Or tell us how to study…”

 

“It wouldn’t hurt to do that a couple minutes before or after club,” Yamaguchi said tentatively as he looked at his friend.

 

Tobio’s eyebrows rose at the slight drooping of Tsukishima’s shoulders as Yamaguchi spoke. With his best friend on their side, they were sure to-

 

Tsukishima’s eyes flickered over to him and Tobio tried to clear his expression.

 

Apparently, it didn’t work.

 

Tsukishima placed his hands on his hips and smirked as he smoothly spoke, “Hey, I don’t think it’s fair that you’re having the shrimp ask for both of you.” Tobio blanched. Oh no. “What do you have to say, big guy?”

 

Tobio’s teeth clenched. Damn! He was actually going to make him…

 

“Kageyama, ask him!” Hinata urged, elbowing him in the side. Tobio flinched.

 

“Please teach us,” he muttered.

 

Tsukishima turned his head slightly, “What?”

 

Tobio’s shoulders hunched. “Please…teach us how to study.”

 

The other boy walked a few steps closer. “I don’t think I quite heard you.”

 

Enough was _enough_! “Teach us how to study!” Tobio yelled, bowing down at the waist toward the other boy.

 

“Oh, look, Iwa-chan!”

 

No.

 

“Tobio-chan never bowed to me!”

 

No.

 

“Shut the hell up, Trashykawa,” Iwaizumi’s deep voice responded before growing slightly louder. “What the hell is going on?”

 

Tobio lifted his head cautiously to look toward his right. Iwaizumi was looking at him with his eyebrows raised. Oikawa was pouting. “Oh! Great King!” Hinata yelped.

 

“Chibi-chan!” Oikawa responded instantly, the pout fading as his eyes flickered among the first years. “What is going on?”

 

There was silence. Tobio had finally stood but was keeping his eyes solidly away from the third years in front of him. Just when the silence was growing uncomfortable, Tsukishima let out an irritated sigh. “The King is afraid he won’t be able to go to the away games.”

 

Tobio’s head flew up as he glared toward the blond. Tsukishima ignored him.

 

“And why is that?” Iwaizumi growled out.

 

But Oikawa was focused on something else, “Wait! You were the voice on the phone! You helped Tobio-chan!” He accused, brow furrowed as he pointed at Tsukishima.

 

Tsukishima seemed to decide he was just going to ignore Oikawa completely. “The games are set next month after exams. If they don’t pass, they have to stay and do make-ups.”

 

“Don’t ignore me!”

 

“Was that what that thing was about earlier?” Iwaizumi asked softly as he came up beside Tobio. Tobio hesitated before nodding. In a way, he wasn’t lying. It was about the away games but…

 

His mother.

 

Iwaizumi didn’t look convinced with Tobio’s hesitant answer but he seemed to let it go. For the moment, anyway.

 

“So, will you help us?” Hinata chirped. Tobio turned his back on Iwaizumi and Oikawa to look at the blond first year. Tsukishima was still scowling but he nodded once.   
  
“After practice,” he muttered. “Let’s go, Yamaguchi.”

 

“Sure, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi agreed, shooting a grin at Hinata before following after his best friend.

 

Hinata jumped up in excitement, “Yes! Tokyo, here we come! Right, Kageyama-kun?” Tobio didn’t respond but the redhead didn’t seem to mind. “Okay, I’m going to…leave now. See you tomorrow!”

 

Tobio didn’t even have time to protest before Hinata had jumped on his bike and ridden away. He stared after the boy, willing for him to come back and not leave him here with-

 

“Tobio-chan!”

 

-that.

 

Tobio turned and found Oikawa had stepped up closer to him. His eyes were narrowed. “You hung up on me!”

 

“I did.”

 

“Why?!”

 

“I was with-“

 

“I don’t care! You hung up on me!”  


“Oh, shut up!” Iwaizumi snapped, making both boys turn to look at him. His head was lowered slightly and he was pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. Tobio glanced over at Oikawa and saw the boy doing the same to him. As one, they took a step back from the spiker.

 

“You two…” Iwaizumi let out an irritated sigh and Tobio couldn’t help but flinch. From the corner of his eye, he saw Oikawa look at him curiously for a moment before his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Great. He hated that look enough when they were standing on the court. He didn’t need it here.

 

“Kageyama, your house is nearby, right?” Iwaizumi asked as he looked at the first year. “Do you mind if we come over?”

 

_Can I really say no?_

Tobio slowly nodded his head and the three of them made their way toward Tobio’s house. Neither said a word when Tobio unlocked the door and led the way inside. “Do you have any food?” Oikawa asked as he moved past Tobio and into the kitchen. “We came here right after practice…”

 

He didn’t need to respond as Oikawa was already opening cabinets and the refrigerator. “Sorry,” Iwaizumi apologized as he shot a glare toward Oikawa. “We did…come straight here, though.”

 

Oikawa apparently found Tobio’s stash of roman because he took out a saucepan and started running water. Tobio wondered if he should be helping him. He was hungry as well. But Oikawa seemed to know what he was doing.

 

Iwaizumi slid into a chair at the kitchen table and Tobio cautiously took a seat beside him. Oikawa was humming to himself as he cooked and he even had a slight smile on his face. A real smile. Not one of the fake ones Tobio saw so often.

 

“I have milk and water,” Tobio finally said, standing up quickly and walking into the kitchen. He tried not to notice that the smile instantly dropped from Oikawa’s face.

 

“Milk? Ew, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa scrunched up his nose in disgust, “I don’t know how you can drink that! Water for me.”

 

“I’ll take water as well,” Iwaizumi chimed in.

 

Tobio retrieved the drinks and placed them on the table around the same time Oikawa was setting the food down. The three of them ate in silence. Tobio was distinctly uncomfortable. He hadn’t sat down and had a meal with someone…someone that wasn’t his team in… a really long time. And the people he was eating with was his soulmates. His soulmates that happened to be Oikawa Tooru and Iwaizumi Hajime.

 

It was uncomfortable.

 

Tobio was the first to finish and he shifted in his seat as Iwaizumi and Oikawa continued to eat. It was like there was some unspoken agreement between them that they wouldn’t deal with…whatever it was until they were finished.

 

Tobio wondered if he could sneak some more food in their bowls to take more time.

 

However, they both eventually finished and Iwaizumi collected they dishes and moved toward the sink. “Iwaizumi will clean up, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa commented as he stood. “Let’s go sit somewhere more comfortable.”

 

Glancing toward Iwaizumi, Tobio moved behind Oikawa toward the coach. “So,” Oikawa started as they sat, his eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you tell us the truth.”

Tobio blinked. Truth? The truth about what?

 

“You’ve never been great at school, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa rolled his eyes, “and we both know it’s never induced a panic attack before. So why now?”

 

His mother’s image flashed before his eyes. _His mother. The permission form. Exams._

_There was no way she was going to sign it._

_How would he even get it to her?_

_Go to Tokyo?_

_…just so she could sign a form saying he could go to Tokyo?_

“Kageyama?” Tobio’s head jerked up as Iwaizumi spoke. When did he get here? How long had he been there?

 

How long had Tobio been sitting in silence?

 

“Look, if it’s really about your exams, we can always help you out-“

 

“Iwa-!”

 

“I’m not the top of the class,” Iwaizumi continued and Tobio was shocked to see a hint of red spread across the older boy’s face. “But I could still help you out. And Oikawa is actually –“

 

“Not helping!”  


“He’ll help if you need it,” Iwaizumi growled out as he glared at the scowling third year. “But if something else is going on…we could help.”

 

Could they? Would they be able to help him? He didn’t know how they would. But…both of them were smarter than he was. And older. Maybe they would have an idea or some way to get around the form. Or maybe they could sign it themselves! Wait…that wouldn’t work…

 

“No, nothing.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! And I really like this chapter so I hope you do too! :) I've been wanting to write it all week but I didn't have time. I promised a woman I work with that I would make her a quilt for her new grandson and I didn't think the baby was due until next month. Turns out there are some complications and he's coming early! Like, next week early. So I spent all week making a blanket. lol. But it's done and so is this chapter! Yay!

He still wasn’t sure what to do. If he called his mother and asked her to sign the permission slip, there was a possibility that she would flat out refuse. She had never really liked him playing volleyball in the first place. However, if he proved that he could get good scores on the exams while he was playing on the team, she might sign it. But if he waited and _didn’t_ do well…well, then he would lose his chance.

 

So, what did he do?

 

It was a week later and he still had no idea.

 

But he did join Hinata in their study sessions. The two boys met with Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, because you never saw one without the other, and they stayed after practice each night in the clubroom. Tsukishima didn’t want them over at his house and when Yamaguchi tried to offer his own space, his friend was quick to cut him off. None of them wanted to walk all the way to Hinata’s house and Tobio…well, he didn’t exactly want Tsukishima in his personal space, either.

 

Plus, he just knew that the boys would ask him questions about his parents.

 

So far, Hinata had kept his mouth shut. But Tobio knew Tsukishima wouldn’t give him the same kindness.

 

So, the club room it was.

 

Tobio couldn’t say it was a good time. It was mostly just the blond telling them what to do, Hinata and Tobio doing it poorly, and Tsukishima getting irritated while Yamaguchi tried to keep the peace. It wasn’t that they weren’t trying – though Tobio was now more sure than ever before that Hinata was a complete moron. Tobio would never admit it, but he really was understanding more of the concepts they had been studying the past few months with Tsukishima’s help.

 

Not that he would ever admit that.

 

Especially to the blond.

 

He didn’t take Iwaizumi up on his offer to help him study but that didn’t stop the older boy from having dropped by his house twice this week. On both occasions he had looked over Tobio’s work and made any corrections that were needed. Tsukishima had actually been impressed with one of the assignments.

 

Tobio also wasn’t going to admit that he had received outside help.

 

He hadn’t seen Oikawa once.

 

Not that he was complaining.

 

There was one thing that Tobio hadn’t improved on, no matter how much he read Tsukishima’s notes or listened to Iwaizumi.

 

“All right, let’s get the next one over with,” Tsukishima said tiredly as they sat around the club room after practice. They weren’t the only ones in the room – various upperclassman had been staying too. Sometimes they sat and helped Tobio or Hinata but they mostly worked to help Tanaka or Noya.  “Hinata, what’s the first answer to question six?”

 

Tobio glanced down at the paper. _Please insert the correct word or phrase that goes in the parenthesis to correctly complete the proverb. This proverb expresses that even ruthless people can show compassion and shed a tear. Even ogres can be moved to _______._

“An iron club?” Tsukishima growled out and Tobio reared back in shock at the mental image. He stared in surprise and a little revulsion at his friend.

 

“Ow, my eyes!” Yamaguchi gasped.

 

“How could you do that to the ogre?” Tobio demanded.

 

Tsukishima didn’t seem to be as surprised as Tobio or Yamaguchi. “You’re thinking of another proverb,” he muttered. “Did you not read the explanation?”

 

“Oh, shut up!  


“You probably saw the word ogre, didn’t read the rest of the question, and just wrote the first thing that came to mind,” Tsukishima continued, completely ignoring the fuming redhead. “You really are a simpleton.”

 

“You’re too careless,” Tobio informed him.

 

“Why do you guys have to keep going?!” Hinata yelled.

 

Tobio’s lips twitched. He found some sort of sick pleasure when he upset Hinata.

 

He wondered if that was the reason Oikawa picked on him so much.

 

No, Oikawa just hated him.

 

He didn’t hate Hinata.

 

It was different.

 

Never mind.

 

Tsukishima’s hand slammed down on the floor as he leaned forward and turned his glare onto Tobio. Tobio jerked back and crossed his arms over his chest defensively. “You’re one to talk, Kageyama,” Tsukishima snapped. “Honestly, you’re probably worse off than Hinata.” Ouch. And not true. “You need to memorize English vocab words on your own.”

 

And there it was.

 

No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t understand English!

 

None of it made any sense! One letter could make so many different sounds! Words that looked the same were completely different. He was never going to get it all straight. “Japanese people can’t understand English!” Tobio snapped, incensed at the thoughts running through his head.

 

Tsukishima tsked and turned his head to the side. “Then give up on going to Tokyo.”

 

_…give up on going to Tokyo…_

“Kageyama,” a new voice broke in. Tobio looked up, surprised to see his captain standing behind Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. Tobio frowned as Daichi began to make their hand signals. Was he wanting to quiz him?

 

“B Quick. A.C. Timed attack in front of the setter…left-back attack…D. Side-by-side. Semi….timed attack behind the setter…”

 

He had no idea what was going on.

 

“How long did it take you to memorize those?” Daichi asked with a smile as soon as he finished. Does that mean Tobio passed? Not that he had been worried, but it would be nice to know for sure.

 

“I think…” he thought back on the moment he had been given the paper. “Less than a day?”

 

Why were they all looking at him like that? It was some sort of weird mix of surprise and…well, he didn’t know. He just wasn’t sure if it was a good look.

 

Probably not.

 

“Which is exactly why I’m not going to let you say you can’t memorize those words,” Daichi said sternly with that smile still on his face. Tobio hunched in on himself. Oh.

 

Perfect.

 

Hinata jumped to his feet and Tobio turned startled eyes onto the boy. “I-I’m not going to lose to Kageyama!”

 

Such an idiot.

 

“I’m not going to lose to them either!” The boy continued to yell, much to Tobio’s confusion. Who was he even talking about?

 

Tsukishima let out a sigh and stood up, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “Alright, I’ve had enough for tonight. You two have studying to do. We’ll go over it tomorrow.” Before he could even blink, Tsukishima was out the door and Yamaguchi had scrambled to his feet and followed after him, throwing everyone a quick wave as he did so.

 

Hinata was still muttering about not going to lose when Tobio stood and gathered the papers on the floor. He might as well leave himself. It seemed that most of the other boys had decided the same thing as they all seemed to be packing up.

 

Well, most of them.

 

With a sigh, Tobio grabbed Hinata’s bag and thrust it into the other boy’s arms. “Come on, idiot! Let’s go!”

 

Hinata glanced around the room in surprise. “Oh. Where did everyone go?”

 

“Home,” Tobio told him bluntly as he pulled the other boy to the door. He bowed his head to Daichi and Suga as they left. The two third years called out goodbyes as they locked up the clubroom.

 

 

Hinata seemed to be pouting as they walked down the street. Tobio, who was tired of the silence from the one person he could always count on to be loud, finally stopped walking. Hinata came to a stop only a moment later, glancing around him in surprise. “Woah, is something going on? Why did we stop?”

 

“Why are you so quiet?” Tobio demanded with a frown.

 

Hinata’s mouth dropped open in surprise before his expression shifted into a wide smile. He hopped a couple of steps closer to Tobio. “Ooh, what’s wrong, Kageyama-kun? Are you upset because I’m not talking to you?”

 

“Dumb ass,” Tobio responded, feeling a slight blush rise on his cheeks. Why did he even bother? He hastily pushed his way past the other boy.

 

“It’s okay if you were!” Hinata exclaimed, hurrying up beside him with his bike.

 

“I wasn’t.”

 

“Were.”

 

“Wasn’t.”

 

“Were!”

 

“Wasn’t!”  


“What the hell are you two arguing about now?”

 

“Ace!” Hinata yelled, dramatically pointing behind Tobio.

 

Not that Tobio needed any help. He knew that voice. He turned his head slightly and looked toward the third year. “Good evening, Iwaizumi-san.”

 

“Kageyama,” Iwaizumi greeted as he came to stand beside the first year. He nodded his head toward Hinata, who was still gaping like an idiot, and looked back toward Tobio. “Practice let out a little early today. Coach had an appointment or something so I thought I’d come by a little earlier. I honestly thought you’d still be at the school.”

 

“Tsukishima got annoyed because Hinata hit the ogre with a club,” Tobio informed him. By the confused expression on Iwaizumi’s face, he didn’t do a very good job. “So he left.”

 

“Ah,” Iwaizumi still looked confused but he let it go. “You can stop gaping at me anytime, shrimpy.”

 

Hinata’s mouth snapped shut and Tobio had to hide a smile behind his hand at the pout that overtook his face. “My name isn’t shrimpy!”

 

“And mine isn’t Ace.”

 

And that shocked look was back. “At least your nickname is better than Kindaichi’s,” Tobio said with a smirk as he remembered the look on Kindaichi’s face the first time he heard his new nickname from Hinata. Iwaizumi chuckled loudly.

 

“Yeah, Kunimi is still calling him Turnip Head.”

 

“Good.”

 

Iwaizumi sighed loudly, “You three really need to work through all of that shit. You aren’t in junior high anymore.”

 

“They don’t want to.” Tobio was not putting himself out there again. Not after he was completely shot down the last time he tried.

 

_“It’s not like we were ever friends, anyway.”_

_They were the only friends I had._

“Kageyama-“

 

“Hey!” Hinata exclaimed and both boys turned toward the small redhead quickly. Tobio almost forgot he was there. “Where’s the Great King?” He shot Tobio a look, like he was expecting Tobio to appreciate that he had changed the subject. And Tobio was grateful. In a way. But…did he have to change the subject by bringing up Oikawa of all people?

 

“He better be at home,” Iwaizumi growled out in response, his phone materializing in his hand as he glanced down at it. “If that ass is still practicing I’m going to kill him.”

 

Hinata once again looked as if he didn’t know what to do or say but Tobio shifted slightly and put more pressure on his right knee. It wasn’t aching and seemed to hold his weight pretty well. He didn’t think Oikawa was over doing it. The last time he had spent hours practicing, neither he nor Iwaizumi had been able to stand without pain shooting through their legs. Iwaizumi had gone to the school and found Oikawa sitting sheepishly on the floor.

 

It wasn’t an experience any of them wanted to repeat.

 

 “Kageyama-kun, I’m going to go home,” Hinata finally said, sliding onto his bike. “I told mom I’d be home early to help Natsu.”

 

“See you tomorrow.”

 

“Bye!”

 

Tobio watched as Hinata rode down the street and out of sight. It was no wonder the boy had as much stamina as he did with the way he rode that bike to school and back home every day. Tobio jumped as a hand lightly touched his arm. “Ready?” Iwaizumi asked when he turned to look at him. Tobio nodded and the two quickly made their way toward his house.

 

“I’ll make food,” Iwaizumi offered as soon as they entered the house. “You take out the books.”

 

Tobio scrunched up his nose but moved toward the table. He grabbed the books and notes he had been working on with Tsukishima while Iwaizumi made his way into the kitchen. They both worked in silence until Iwaizumi finished cooking. Without a word, Tobio stood and grabbed two glasses of water before joining the other boy. “So, how is the studying going?”

 

Tobio had to fight back a scowl at the reminder. “Tsukishima said I was worse off than Hinata.”

 

Iwaizumi choked on the food he had just placed in his mouth. He rapidly reached for his glass, taking a long drink. Tobio just watched him. Finally, Iwaizumi put the glass down and turned incredulous eyes onto Tobio. “How exactly did he come to that conclusion?!”

 

“English vocab.”

 

“Oh,” Iwaizumi winced and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, sorry. I’m not great at it either. I always have Oikawa-“he broke off and lifted his glass again. Tobio hurriedly looked away. Since Iwaizumi had been visiting, both of them had made a point not to mention the third of their…’group’. It was obvious that, despite Iwaizumi’s insistence, the other third year was going to stay far away unless he absolutely had to. Iwaizumi cleared his throat. “Anyway. Is there anyone else at school that could help?”

 

“I don’t really talk to anyone else,” Tobio admitted, wondering if this was something he should actually tell Iwaizumi or if he should be keeping it to himself. Would the third year be ashamed of him? Would he wonder how he got stuck with someone like him?

 

“Ah,” Iwaizumi commented and Tobio was surprised to see his lips twitching. “Social circle is limited to volleyball, huh? Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”

 

Should he be offended by that?

 

“At least I won’t have to hunt you down when you disappear with a group of screaming girls,” Iwaizumi muttered bitterly. Tobio’s mind flashed to the last game he played against Aoba Johsai. The girls that had been screaming for Oikawa. At the time, he had thought it was odd that they were doing so even though they knew Iwaizumi was Oikawa’s soulmate. Would it be different now? Would Tobio be more than confused if the same thing happened the next time they played? Would he be upset?

 

What if he saw Oikawa actually talking to those girls?

 

He tried to imagine it but something inside him rebelled at the thought.

 

No, he didn’t think he liked it.

 

“You done?” Iwaizumi asked, breaking Tobio’s thoughts. The first year nodded and Iwaizumi quickly grabbed the plates. “Study for another thirty minutes,” he called as he walked toward the sink, “and then we can watch a movie.”

 

Thirty minutes later, the dishes were washed, the books put away, and Tobio was sitting beside Iwaizumi on his bed. His mother had taken the T.V. with her when she left and the only way Tobio had to watch movies was on his computer. They could sit on the couch and watch but they had realized the last time that it was easier on the bed. Tobio was sitting beside the wall, his back against the headboard. Iwaizumi was pressed up beside him. “I can’t believe you’ve never seen Godzilla,” the boy muttered for what had to be the tenth time in the last five minutes. “How is that even possible?”

 

“I don’t watch many movies,” Tobio responded, once again for the tenth time. But he wasn’t irritated. If it had been Hinata or anyone else, he would have been. But Iwaizumi seemed so…excited about watching this movie. He had muttered something about “always that sci-fi crap” but Tobio had no clue what he was talking about.

 

It wasn’t a bad movie. Well, Tobio didn’t think it was, anyway. Truthfully, he kept getting distracted by the boy beside him. He didn’t think he had ever seen Iwaizumi so excited. His eyes would light up at certain parts of the movie and he would occasionally move his lips along with the dialogue. Tobio wondered just how many times this movie had played in the Iwaizumi household.

 

It was during one of these moments that Iwaizumi happened to glance over at Tobio. The third year’s mouth instantly stopped moving and a dark red began to spread across his cheeks. Tobio watched it in fascination. Was…was Iwaizumi _blushing_?

 

“Do you not like it?” Iwaizumi asked, already reaching over to turn it off. Tobio reached out instinctively, grabbing his wrist to stop him before he could. 

 

“I like it,” Tobio said quickly, “I just – you look so – happy. I wanted to watch you too!”

 

Oh, now he was blushing. Iwaizumi’s eyes were wide, the blush on his face growing a shade darker. “Oh,” he finally said, his voice coming out softer than Tobio had ever heard. He shifted slightly and Tobio felt something move in his hand. He glanced down and swallowed hard when he realized what he had done. Iwaizumi’s wrist burned in his hand. It was…nice, almost.

 

His face now burning, Tobio quickly loosened his grip to release the other boy completely. Before he could, Iwaizumi somehow slid his hand up so the two were palm to palm. Tobio watched as Iwaizumi’s fingers slid in between his own. Tobio felt his heart pounding. He briefly wondered if this was a sign of a heart attack. He didn’t care. His hand, which was dwarfed in Iwaizumi’s, was tingling. It was a pleasant feeling. He couldn’t someone touching him ever feeling like this. “Let’s watch the movie, then,” Iwaizumi said gruffly, turning his attention back toward the screen. Tobio’s eyes moved slowly upward, finally coming to rest on the other boys face once more. It was even darker than it had been. Which was fine. It probably matched Tobio’s. With that thought, Tobio turned his eyes away and back toward the screen in front of him.

 

Then he finally let his fingers slowly close around the hand holding his.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coughs* uh, sorry about this. Really, really short chapter! Just needed to take care of a little issue... sorry.

Tobio felt like he was floating. Iwaizumi had stayed with him longer than he usually did the night before, they had even watched a second movie, and he hadn’t let go of Tobio’s hand even once. When he finally had to head home, they both had morning practice after all, Iwaizumi hesitated at the door. Tobio had blinked in confusion as the older boy seemed to jerk forward suddenly, which made Tobio flinch, but he had merely wrapped his arms around him quickly to give him a light hug. Tobio had been so shocked he hadn’t even managed to move his arms before Iwaizumi let go and took a step back. With a quick grin, the older boy had said goodbye and disappeared out the door.

For the rest of the night, Tobio imagined the feeling of those arms wrapping around him. 

It was a good morning.

Hinata kept giving him these stupid grins and asking him what was wrong with his face. Because he “looked all bright and woah!”. 

Whatever the hell that meant.

He should have known something was going to go wrong.

“The forms need to be returned by the end of next week,” Takeda commented as the papers were passed around the group. Tobio’s hand clenched around his own. Next week. He had one week to find a way to get the form signed.

He had no idea what to do.

Whatever good mood he had had that morning was long gone. 

It was like he was suddenly crashing back down to earth. His body began to shake uncontrollably. His breath was coming out in short gasps. His mother’s image flashed in front of his eyes. 

What was he going to do?

“Kageyama-kun? Are you okay?” 

Tobio glanced up quickly at the soft voice. Suga was staring at him, a frown between his brows. Tobio stared at the older boy. He didn’t…know what to do. What was he going to do? How was he going to get his mother to…

“Why don’t we go to the club room?” Suga asked softly, slowly moving his hand toward Tobio. Tobio couldn’t stop the flinch the closer the boy got. The hand automatically froze. “Kageyama? Can you stand?” 

Tobio nodded and suddenly became aware of the eyes on him. They were all looking at him. Each and every person in the gym were wearing expressions of confusion or worry. 

He wanted to be out of there.

He stood quickly and moved toward the door, Suga following behind him closely. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Suga waving a hand toward Daichi who had started to take a step forward. The captain froze instantly. Tobio bowed his head and practically ran out of the door.

“Kageyama-“

Tobio swiftly moved into the club room and sank down onto the floor. He knew Suga was there but he couldn’t seem to focus on him. He kept looking down at the form he had crumbled in his hand. 

“Hey,” Suga finally said, sinking down beside him. “You know that we’re here for you, right?” 

…huh?

Tobio’s confusion must have shown on his face, because Suga cracked a small smile. “Kageyama, I know that you aren’t used to…trusting people around you. But something is really bothering you. Something…that has to do with that form,” Suga said softly as he let his eyes move purposely toward the form still clenched in Tobio’s hands. “Do you think it’s going to be a problem getting it signed?”

Tobio’s eyes flew wide at the words and he swallowed hard as he stared at the older setter. Suga gave a small smile when he looked at Tobio’s expression. “It wasn’t that hard to figure out,” he commented in an extremely soft voice. He reached out slowly and took the corner of the form. The one corner that didn’t seem to be completely destroyed by Tobio’s hands. “I can have Daichi call your family. They don’t have to know that they’re the only ones-“

“No,” Tobio shook his head at the words. He could just imagine what his mother would say to his captain. What information she would-

“Kageyama-kun,” Suga said with a small, soft smile. “Let us help you.”

Tobio bit his lip as he stared down at the floor. It’s true that his mother would be more likely to listen to Daichi. And she might think that the captain was calling all of the parents to talk to them about the club. That was something that happened, right? But Daichi was still…

“What about Takeda?” Suga prodded gently. 

Takeda?

Tobio glanced up hesitantly. “Do you think he would?”

Suga’s smile widened. “There’s only one way to find out.”

An hour later found Suga and Tobio sitting across from Takeda as he frowned. “Kageyama-kun, if your mother is living in Tokyo, who are you staying with?”

Tobio shifted uneasily as he avoided the teachers gaze. “Uh, well, I mean…the house was my grandparents and I can still…she sends me money each month…”

Takeda’s frown grew, “Kageyama-kun-“

“If she knows that you all know she’s going to make me leave!” Tobio burst out loudly, his hands grasping one another tightly. Both Takeda and Suga sat back in their seats with wide eyes. “She’ll send me to some boarding school or something! I can’t – Iwaizumi-san checks on me all the time!”

“Iwaizumi-san?”

“The ace from Aoba Johsai,” Suga informed the teacher as he looked at Kageyama knowingly. “And, unless I’m mistaken, Kageyama-kun’s soulmate.”

Kageyama felt his face flush at the mention. He nodded his head once in confirmation and Suga’s smile brightened. He turned toward Takeda. “Well, I think Kageyama-kun is in good hands. But if we want a chance of defeating Nekoma…” he trailed off meaningfully. Takeda’s eyes flickered between the two of them for a few moments and Tobio’s hands clenched into fists. It wasn’t like he was the only student living alone. It happened. Takeda wouldn’t make a big deal out of it just because Tobio hadn’t informed the school of the fact.

…right?

“Alright, I’ll speak to your mother,” Takeda finally agreed with a sigh. “But you have to promise me that if anything happens and you need help, you’ll contact me.”

“I promise,” Tobio responded instantly, his chest lightening at the thought of the man contacting his mother. If anyone was able to persuade her, it would be someone of authority in the school. 

Takeda nodded his head. “Well now, I think the two of you need to be returning to practice,” he said with a small smile. “I will let you know what your mother decides.”

Tobio stood and bowed instantly, Suga thanking the teacher as he did the same. Takeda quickly ushered the two to practice and Tobio looked over his shoulder briefly just in time to see the teacher pick up the phone.

“It will be okay,” Suga said as they made their way toward the gym. “Takeda will take care of everything. As long as you’re able to pass the exams-“

Tobio couldn’t stop the groan that slipped out of his lips at the mention of the exams. Then he froze and turned toward the older boy beside him. Suga had stopped in his tracks as he stared at Tobio with startled eyes. Tobio panicked briefly. Suga wasn’t Hinata. Suga was his upperclassman. He couldn’t act like that with him. He turned toward the older setter and prepared to apologize when the other suddenly burst out into loud laughter. Tobio could only blink in surprise. What?

“Sorry!” Suga gasped as he caught sight of Tobio’s face. “Sorry! You just…you looked so surprised! I mean…it isn’t like I haven’t heard worse from you!” he was still laughing as Tobio felt heat rise on his cheeks. Well, he supposed that was true. The older setter was usually around when he fought with Hinata after all. And Tsukishima. And…

Well, he had been there with the rest of the team when he saw Oikawa at the practice game. 

So yeah, Suga had definitely heard worse.

“So, how are your studies going?” Suga asked as he finally stopped laughing, though the smile was still set on his face. 

Tobio scowled. He had really hoped that this conversation was over. “Fine.”

“And how is it going working with Tsukishima?”

“…fine?”

“Sounding a little unsure there,” Suga chuckled as they finally neared the gym. “Alright, I won’t ask you anymore questions today. Go practice.”

Tobio nodded his head toward the third year and quickly moved into the gym, trying to ignore the fact that Suga had walked up to Daichi and the two were whispering with one another. He was also going to ignore the fact that Daichi had clenched his fists and looked to be growing more and more furious with every passing second. 

“Everything okay?” Hinata asked as he walked over toward Tobio with a volleyball in hand.

Tobio jerked his attention away from his captain and vice captain to focus on the boy in front of him. “Let’s practice.”

Hinata sighed and followed Tobio toward the court. “Sure, Hinata, everything is fine. No need to worry,” he said in what Tobio thought was supposed to be his voice. 

It was a really bad impression.

The two boys concentrated on practicing their quick, trying to find a way to make it more difficult for the opposition. They were only able to practice for about thirty minutes before Coach Ukai sent everyone home for the day. The boys quickly cleaned the gym and moved toward the clubroom. Well, most of them.

“Kageyama-kun,” Takeda called as soon as they left the gym. Tobio turned, his throat instantly drying in fright. “Come speak with me a moment.”

Tobio ignored the questioning look that Hinata sent him as he walked toward Takeda. “Did you talk to her?”

Takeda nodded and Tobio felt himself relax instantly at the smile he was given. “I did. As long as you pass your exams, your mother agreed to sign the form. As you know, if you fail you will have to take the make-up exam and will not be able to attend.”

It was like a weight lifted off of his shoulders. Well, most of the weight. “Thank you.”

Takeda’s smile grew. “I have already sent the form to her and she says she will send it back promptly. I will let you know once it arrives.”

“Thank you,” Tobio yelled out once more, bowing low at the waist. “Thank you so much!”

“Kageyama! Come on! Daichi is going to take us out for meat buns!” Tobio stood at the words and turned his head toward the jumping Hinata. 

“He is? He took us yesterday, didn’t he?” 

“Yeah, but he said we all did well today and deserved it!” Hinata responded, grabbing onto Tobio’s arm and pulling him toward the waiting team. Tobio bit his lip as he looked toward his captain. The third-year just smiled in response and motioned for them to follow along down the street.

Suga was by his side instantly. “Is everything alright, Kageyama-kun? Was Takeda able to contact your mother?”

Tobio nodded his head and quickly checked to make sure the other boys weren’t listening in on their conversation. “She promised to sign the form as long as I pass my exams.”

Suga turned a beaming smile onto him. “That’s great! I know you’ll do well. You’ve been working really hard, Kageyama-kun. I think even Tsukishima is surprised at how well you’re doing.”

Tobio glanced over his shoulder toward the blond in question. He had his headphones on and was walking beside Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi was speaking to Hinata and both boys were sporting bright smiles. Tsukishima seemed as if he would rather be anywhere than where he currently was. Tobio’s eyebrows rose and he faced Suga once more. The ashen haired boy let out a chuckle, which he muffled under his hand. “Well, he knows deep down, anyway.”

“I don’t think I believe you,” Tobio informed the third-year setter. 

Suga’s laughter increased. “What a thing to say to your senpai! But don’t worry about it, Kageyama-kun. You’ll realize I’m right with time.”

Tobio’s brows furrowed and he looked over toward Tsukishima once more. He really doubted it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad about yesterday's chapter, so here's another one! Longer this time. I hope you all enjoy!

Tobio didn’t mention the permission form to Iwaizumi. That was a conversation he thought was better left…unknown or whatever. For the next week he continued on with his new routine of waking up, going to morning practice, school, afternoon practice, homework with Tsukishima, and then dinner and studying with Iwaizumi. Or, on the nights that Iwaizumi didn’t appear at his house, volleyball videos.

 

Not that he told the older boy that.

 

He had the strangest feeling he wouldn’t exactly approve of Tobio not taking that time to study.

 

One day, that routine began to shift slightly.

 

They were halfway through practice when Shimizu-san walked into the gym with a small girl beside her. Tobio didn’t understand the sudden fascination with another girl in the gym but the practice match immediately stopped as everyone turned their attention toward the blond girl. “So, you found a new person!” Hinata yelled out, causing Tobio to wince. He didn’t think anyone noticed. He was wiping the sweat from his face with his t-shirt at the time.

 

Tobio found himself frowning slightly when he glanced up at the girl. She was shaking. The closer the rest of the team moved toward her, the more pronounced her shaking grew. He wanted to tell everyone to back away from her but the words didn’t seem to want to make it out of his mouth.

 

“She’s joining the club on a trial basis as the new manager,” Shimizu-san informed the team. Tobio’s brow furrowed at the new information. It was true that the team would need a new manager after the third years left. And having someone learn from Shimizu-san was the best option. But…well, the girl looked terrified.

 

If she couldn’t even meet the team how would she be able to deal with the other teams they come into contact with? How would she deal with someone like _Oikawa_?

 

Asahi said something to the girl, Tobio wasn’t paying enough attention to know what, and she completely panicked. Tobio understood. Asahi looked intimidating at first. Until you got to know him and realized he was likely to cower if someone as unintimidating as Yachi glared at him. But, well, even with the…look… Asahi was sporting, he was nothing compared to Oikawa.

 

_Did she just call Asahi ‘sir’?_

“She hasn’t actually joined yet,” Shimizu-san’s voice cut through Tobio’s thoughts. “I asked her suddenly today and she’s dropping by to say hi.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” The girl declared, bowing toward them.

 

Tobio instantly returned the bow, barely aware of the rest of the team doing the same beside him. “Could you not surround her until she’s more comfortable?”

 

Tobio stood quickly and watched as the girl basically materialized behind the door, which she firmly closed behind her. He wondered if they would actually see her again. It didn’t seem likely. It looked as if Shimizu-san would need to find another manager.

 

Shimizu-san said something to Daichi, something that caused the second years and third years to start crying. He wondered what it was she said. He couldn’t see the third-year manager being mean in any way. She was always so soft spoken. Maybe it was that tears of joy thing he had heard people talking about?

 

“Can we go back to practicing now?” Tobio asked, tired of their unplanned break. They had things to work on if they were going to win against Nekoma in this practice game. Not to mention the other schools. He really needed to find recordings of past games for these other schools. How was he supposed to come up with a good strategy if he didn’t know anything about them?

 

“The king has spoken,” Tsukishima muttered as the team moved back toward the court. Tobio sent the blond a glare but the smirk didn’t fade from the other boy’s lips as he placed himself on the other side of the net than Tobio and Hinata. That was something Tobio was going to have to work on – no matter how much he didn’t want to. He and Tsukishima were on the same team. He had to toss to the snarky blond during games. If they wanted it to be smooth, they really did need to practice it.

 

He glanced at the still smirking blond and his lips twisted up in a sneer.

 

Maybe he would put that on hold for now.

 

Or for as long as possible.

 

Maybe after the blond got a new personality or something.

 

Surely, he wasn’t the only one that wished that was possible.

 

The feeling only grew worse during the tutoring session. Tsukishima was furious with him (okay, so he had stayed up late the night before watching videos. And he hadn’t managed to get his homework completed.) and made sure to let everyone in the club room know it. He received various disappointed looks from Suga, Daichi, and some of the second years. Not to mention the “I’m gonna beat you!” from Hinata, Tanaka, and Noya. Tsukishima ended up sending him home early and told him to “stop wasting his time”.

 

So, he was already in a bad mood as he made his way home. Actually, getting home didn’t help his mood any.

 

Iwaizumi was at his door. Usually that wouldn’t make Tobio’s mood plummet even more. Actually, it would probably raise it. But there was someone else with him.

 

Oikawa.

 

He really didn’t like this day.

 

“Hey,” Iwaizumi said quickly as soon as Tobio came within hearing range. He had a strained smile on his face as his eyes flickered from Tobio to Oikawa. “Uh, Oikawa is going to help with Engl-“

 

“Oikawa is not,” the boy in question snapped as he crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes at Tobio. “What have you been doing? I’m covered in bruises!”

 

Bruises?

 

“Practicing?” Tobio answered. What type of question was that, anyway? It wasn’t as if it was strange to get bruises during volleyball. Why would that be questioned now?

 

“Whatever,” Oikawa muttered as he stared at Tobio impatiently. Tobio stared back. He had no idea what the older boy was waiting for or why he was even there. A scowl had made its way onto Oikawa’s face the longer the stares went on. After another few seconds, and some incoherent grumbling from Iwaizumi, Oikawa let out a loud huff and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, are you going to let us in or not?”

 

_Is not really an option?_

Tobio might not have said the words but the thought must have been painted across his face. Iwaizumi let out a loud bark of laughter as Oikawa whined, “Tobio- _chan_! Rude!”

 

He shrugged his shoulders and moved past the older boys to unlock the door. The three of them quickly made their way inside and Tobio couldn’t even find it in himself to be surprised as Iwaizumi instantly moved off toward the kitchen. Deciding to pretend as if this was any other night with the third year, Tobio made his way toward the table and pulled out his books and notes before sinking into a chair. He wasn’t even surprised when a glass of milk appeared in front of him. He nodded his head gratefully toward Iwaizumi and the third year sent him a small smile before starting dinner.

 

“Well, isn’t this _domestic_ ,” Oikawa growled as he loomed in front of the table. His narrowed eyes travelled from Iwaizumi to Tobio.

 

“Stop,” Iwaizumi replied instantly, a tone of danger ringing through his voice.

 

Oikawa’s glare turned darker and his scowl grew. “How often has this been happening, exactly?”

 

Tobio’s grip tightened around the pen he had in his hand. Had Oikawa not even known Iwaizumi was coming over?

 

“Usually every other day,” Iwaizumi commented nonchalantly. “You usually stay after practice anyway.”

 

_…did Iwaizumi-san just come over because Oikawa-san was busy?_

“Ah,” Oikawa intoned. Tobio’s head snapped to the side at the sound. He didn’t like it. Oikawa sounded…like he was trying to hide something and it was having the opposite effect. He sounded…scary. Terrifying, actually.

 

Tobio tried to move his chair further away from the third year without him noticing. He failed.

 

Apparently, Iwaizumi noticed the odd tone as well because he turned to face the other boy fully, his shoulders tense and a scowl on his face. “Don’t be an ass, Trashykawa. There’s no reason for you to be Jeal-“

 

“I am _not_!”

 

“Then why are you here?”

 

Oikawa’s mouth dropped open and the third year seemed to be having trouble responding to the question. Tobio frowned. What had Iwaizumi been implying? And what had he said that made Oikawa unable to speak? He had never seen Oikawa at a loss for words before. That was usually Tobio’s job when the two had conversations.

 

Well, the word conversations might be a bit of an exaggeration.

 

“Because I got a very interesting call from Daichi-san last night,” Oikawa finally snapped. The pen fell out of Tobio’s hand as his head snapped up to stare at the third-year in horror.

 

“Daichi-“

 

“Your captain had a few things to say to me,” Oikawa continued, his lips curling in annoyance. “I don’t like having people questioning me about my soulmates, Tobio-chan. Especially when they’re asking me questions about _things I know nothing about_!”

 

Tobio flinched back into his chair as the third-year’s voice shook in anger.

 

“Oikawa- “

 

“No!” Oikawa snapped toward Iwaizumi, “Did you know, Iwa-chan? Did he tell you that the reason for those panic attacks was because of his _mother_? That he has been terrified for weeks because he didn’t think _that woman_ would sign a permission form for him to go to Tokyo? That –“

 

“Stop!” Tobio yelled, placing his hands over his ears. He didn’t want to hear this. They weren’t supposed to know. How did Daichi know? All Suga had known was that his mother lived in Tokyo and he was worried about her signing the form. What made them think that-

 

“Kageyama, is that true?” Iwaizumi cut in, his frank voice soft. Tobio continued to stare at the table. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to…

 

His heart began to pound. The blood was rushing in his ears. He knew they were talking to him, they were saying something to him, but he couldn’t hear it. Why did Daichi call Oikawa? Why would he do that?

 

“Tobio! Look at me!”

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open. When did he close them? When did Oikawa get so close to him? Where was Iwaizumi? Did he leave? Did he decide that Tobio wasn’t-

 

“Hey, you need to breathe,” a voice said from his other side. Tobio glanced over quickly and saw Iwaizumi kneeling on the right side of his chair. Oikawa was mirroring him on the left side. Both of them seemed to be struggling to breathe-

 

Oh.

 

“That’s it,” Oikawa gasped. His hand moved forward and grabbed one of Tobio’s, squeezing it hard. Iwaizumi did the same on the other side. “Just focus on us. Don’t think about her. Just us.”

 

Tobio concentrated on the feeling of the hands holding his own. The hand on his left was soft but had calluses that matched Tobio’s own. The hand on his right was more rough but familiar. And it had twined itself with his own, fingers linking together. The hand on his left was just holding his, palm to palm. But it was just as nice to hold as the other. Just as warm.

 

“Damn,” Iwaizumi gasped from beside him.

 

Tobio felt his lungs filling with air. His breathing was coming easier. The two boys at his sides seemed to be fine as well. Iwaizumi’s hand was tight around his own and Tobio tightened his own grip. He didn’t want the boy to leave.

 

“Well, isn’t this interesting,” Oikawa muttered and Tobio just knew the third year was staring down at the entwined hands. Tobio’s grip tightened even further. No. Oikawa couldn’t just-

 

“Go finish dinner, Iwa-chan.”

 

“Oikawa-“

 

“I’m not going to do anything,” Oikawa snapped. Tobio jerked away from him and tried to shake off the hand that was still gripping his own. Oikawa tightened his hold, refusing to let go. “Just…go.”

 

Iwaizumi stared at his best friend for a moment before letting his eyes move toward Tobio. Tobio tried to convey his feelings. He didn’t want to be alone with Oikawa. He didn’t want Iwaizumi to leave. “I’ll just be over there,” Iwaizumi said, nodding toward the still cooking, and most likely burning, food. It seemed to be both a reassurance and a warning.

 

Oikawa nodded in acknowledgement and Iwaizumi somehow managed to pry his hand from Tobio’s. “I won’t ask about your mother,” Oikawa finally said as Iwaizumi stepped around the table. Tobio once again tried to pull his hand away. It didn’t work. “Listen. You know I’m not exactly…happy…about any of this. I don’t want it. Neither do you. But the universe has somehow decided to screw us both over so we’ve got what we’ve got.”

 

_Well, this isn’t making me feel any better._

“So we’re going to get along –as much as we can anyway. Because we both care for Iwaizumi. And I’ve come to realize that Iwaizumi,” Oikawa scowled and looked as if his words were making him sick, “cares for you as well. So, stop with the secrets. Got it?”

 

Stop with the secrets? Tobio nodded his head but there was no way he was going to follow through with that agreement. Oikawa’s eyes narrowed but he nodded back once before finally letting go of Tobio’s hand. Tobio flexed it, trying to get feeling back. Oikawa really had been holding on tight.

 

He was lucky he didn’t have any broken bones.

 

Oikawa was probably upset that he had failed in that task.

 

Tobio wouldn’t be able to play volleyball if his hand was broken, after all.

 

“Eat,” Iwaizumi growled as he began to place food on the table. “And after…how about a movie? I don’t think we’ll be able to get much studying done tonight.”

 

Tobio nodded quickly in agreement. He could practically feel Oikawa rolling his eyes. “Apparently Tobio-chan is having some trouble passing his mock exams from Glasses,” he commented. “But if you think that slacking off and watching a movie would be-“

 

“Stop.”

 

Oikawa smirked.

 

Tobio really wasn’t sure how he had ended up here. They were once again on his bed but they couldn’t sit the way they had done before. Before when it was just Tobio and Iwaizumi. So, they were sitting sideways. All of their backs were against the wall, the laptop in front of them. Tobio was on Iwaizumi’s right. Oikawa on his left. Tobio tried not to care that Iwaizumi had an arm over Oikawa’s shoulders. Tried not to care that Oikawa was snuggled up in Iwaizumi’s side.

 

Tried not to think about the fact that all he and Iwaizumi had done was hold hands.

 

Which they were doing now.

 

But was he upset that Iwaizumi was touching Oikawa? Or upset that Oikawa was letting him?

 

Was he just upset because he knew he would never be in that position with Oikawa?

 

He didn’t want to think about that.

 

“Alright,” Iwaizumi yawned as the movie ended. Tobio blinked in surprise as the credits rolled. He didn’t remember any of it.

 

He wasn’t even sure what Oikawa had turned on.

 

“Time for us to head out. You,” he said, nudging against Tobio’s shoulder, “need sleep.”

 

“I don’t-“

 

“You do. So, we are leaving,” Iwaizumi said firmly as he slid off the bed and stretched his arms over his head.

 

Oikawa didn’t bother to stand first. He fell sideways on the bed and stretched, his head somehow ending up in Tobio’s lap. Tobio blinked down at the boy, surprised, but Oikawa just stared up at him challengingly. Tobio didn’t know what to do. Possibly the most attractive person he had ever seen, a person that hated him, was lying in his lap. Tobio’s breath was stuck in his throat. “Oi! Cut it out.”

 

Oikawa chuckled as he lifted his head and stood. Tobio let out a sigh of relief. “Fine, fine. Off we go!”

 

“Make sure you catch up on the studying you didn’t do tonight,” Iwaizumi lectured as they walked toward the door.

 

“Such a mom, Iwa-chan.”

 

“Shut up, Trashykawa!”

 

“So rude!”

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes at the pouting Oikawa before wrapping his arms around Tobio in a brief goodbye hug. “See you soon.”

 

“Come on, Iwa-chan!”

 

“Bye,” Tobio muttered back as Iwaizumi sent him one last smile before moving toward the waiting Oikawa. Tobio stood at the door and watched the two until they disappeared down the street.

 

______________________________________________

 

Apparently Tobio wasn’t the only one that hadn’t finished his ‘assigned’ studying. Hinata appeared in his class during lunch with his notebook in hand, trying to see if Tobio had been able to figure out the information. Tobio had just told the redhead that he didn’t understand it either.

 

He wasn’t going to admit that he hadn’t even tried because he was too busy watching a movie with his soulmates. Soulmates that happened to be Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

He could just imagine the reaction he would get.

 

But Tobio willingly followed Hinata into Tsukishima’s classroom to ask for help when Hinata mentioned the English test that afternoon. Apparently, it hadn’t been the best day to skip the studying. So, here he was, standing beside Hinata as he asked the blond for help. Again.

 

“We agreed to just before and after club, right?” Tsukishima asked as he stared up at them from the desk he was sitting at. It was probably the first time Tobio had ever looked down at the blond. “Right?” He asked again when neither Tobio nor Hinata answered.

 

Tobio turned his attention toward the front of the room. He really didn’t want to see that condescending look plastered on the other boy’s face. “Well, the English teacher, Yoshida-sensei, was gone so…”

 

“Please come back during business hours,” Tsukishima intoned as he placed his headphones on his ears.

 

Tobio scowled and led the way out of the classroom. He had told Hinata that Tsukishima wouldn’t help them. “Tsukishima is so stingy!” Hinata whined as they walked down the hall. “Stingyima!”

 

Tobio stifled a laugh at the new nickname.

 

That one was going to stick.

 

“Hinata!”

 

Tobio turned along with his friend and stared in surprise as Yamaguchi ran toward them.  “You’re going to teach me, Yamaguchi?” Hinata asked with a smile.

 

“Sorry, I suck at English!” Yamaguchi replied as he came to a stop in front of them. “Remember that girl who came yesterday as a manager candidate? She said she was in class 5, so she might be good at studying.”

 

“That’s right!” Hinata gasped, “Class 4 and 5 are advanced!” He grabbed onto Tobio’s sleeve and began hurrying down the hallway. Tobio scowled and quickened his pace to match the other boy as he shook off his hand. “Come on! Let’s find her! Thanks, Yamaguchi!”  


They moved into the class 5 room and Tobio watched as the girl choked on her milk as Hinata yelled out her name. Ah. Yachi. That was her name.

 

Tobio kept his face carefully blank as they made their way toward the small blond. She was shaking once again, her mouth hanging open in shock. “I’m Hinata Shoyo from class 1!” Hinata said, completely missing the fact that the girl was frightened of them. “This is Kageyama.”

 

“Hello.”

 

The girl returned the greeting and Hinata went on to ask if she would be willing to help them with their English. She agreed and the two boys pulled a chair up toward her desk. Tobio stared in shock at the girls notes. If he had been able to organize his work like this, he might actually be able to pass his assignments.

 

Not that he would take the time away from practice to do so.

 

He could always ask the girl, Yachi?, for her notes again.

 

Tobio quickly finished writing and realized that Hinata had been talking to the girl the entire time. He hadn’t even finished copying things down! He snapped at the smaller boy to hurry up and Hinata snapped his mouth shut.

 

Good.

 

Lunch was almost over and he had English next.

 

Hours later, staring down at his paper and the passing grade written on it, he realized he wouldn’t mind if that girl joined the club after all.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Thanks to all that have been commenting - I really love hearing from you! As for this part...sorry?

Tobio couldn’t say that things hadn’t changed in the past few weeks but he really didn’t have time to contemplate the changes. He still woke up every morning, went to practice, school (where he stayed awake in class and actually _tried_ to pay attention), studied with Yachi and Hinata during lunch, afternoon practice, studied with Tsukishima, and went home. Iwaizumi had taken to coming to the house every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He sometimes appeared on Saturday.

 

But now Oikawa usually came with him.

 

Things were always different when Oikawa was there. If it was just Iwaizumi and Tobio, they would eat dinner, which Iwaizumi made while Tobio studied, Iwaizumi would help him study the things he didn’t understand, and then they would curl up together (a welcomed change) on Tobio’s bed and watched a movie. When Oikawa was also there, Iwaizumi would make dinner but Oikawa would actually…help?...Tobio. He used the term help lightly. It usually consisted of Oikawa calling Tobio an idiot as he read over the notes Tobio took during class or the assignments he was completing. He would grab the paper, scribble all over it, and then hand it back to Tobio while rolling his eyes. Tobio would make the changes while Oikawa watched him with narrowed eyes. Once the changes were made to his satisfaction, Oikawa would turn his attention to teasing Iwaizumi.

 

Then the three of them would eat and move to Tobio’s room after the three of them cleaned up. Iwaizumi always sat in the middle with Tobio by the headboard. Oikawa always migrated under Iwaizumi’s arm, his head resting on the other boy’s chest. Tobio leaned against Iwaizumi, their hands curled together. He missed actually cuddling with the other boy on those days. He knew that Iwaizumi would happily wrap the arm around him and let him cuddle into his side but Tobio didn’t want to do so with Oikawa there. That would put the two of them close together. And…he didn’t want to see the reaction from the boy if he did.

 

But still, he didn’t _hate_ it when Oikawa was there. Something in him, _deep_ in him, felt calm when the older boy was beside him and Iwaizumi. And he always received the best scores on the assignments Oikawa worked with him on. Even Tsukishima never had anything bad to say. But…well, he still didn’t feel quite…right.

 

On the days that Iwaizumi didn’t come over, Tobio had been going to Yachi’s house with Hinata to get some extra studying in. For the first time, Tobio thought that he might actually have a chance of passing his exams on the first try.

 

The only slight change in this routine was when Yachi asked he and Hinata to do their quick while she took a picture one day before their usual practice time. Tobio hadn’t really understood it at the time but he had stopped in surprise when he saw a flier asking for donations hanging in a shop window of Hinata getting ready to spike the ball.

 

And then it was finally time for exams.

 

**Good luck today**

Tobio stared down at the message on his arm as he waited for the exam papers to be passed out. This was it. If he didn’t pass…well, not only would he not be allowed to go to Tokyo, he would also have to deal with his mother.

 

He had to pass.

 

He could just imagine the looks on Tsukishima and Yachi’s faces if he didn’t. Tsukishima would be furious he had wasted so much time helping Tobio. Yachi would be upset and blame herself. And then there as Iwaizumi and Oikawa…

 

He had to pass.

 

Most of his exams went well. He felt pretty good that he was at least going to get a passing grade. Even in English. And then it was time for Modern Literature.

 

All he could do was stare down at the paper in horror.

 

Based on what he had been told from the upper years, he had assumed most of the test would rely on his memorization. He was wrong.

 

So very, very wrong.

 

Reading comprehension.

 

Oikawa was going to be furious.

 

He had told him to work on his comprehension more than once. And Tobio had ignored him.

 

Well, maybe Oikawa would just laugh and gloat.

 

Yeah, that sounded more like him.

 

Still, Tobio hoped that he would be okay. That he would be able to scrape by with at least 40 points.

 

He didn’t.

 

38.

 

He got 38.

 

Two points and he would have passed all his exams.

 

Two points!

 

Tobio glumly made his way toward Takeda sensei’s desk in the teacher’s room. The man had stopped Tobio in the hall and asked to speak with him. Tobio just knew what he was going to say.

 

He wasn’t going to Tokyo.

 

“Ah, Kageyama-kun,” Takeda said when he noticed him standing there. He smiled up at Tobio and the boy couldn’t help but wonder why. He shouldn’t be happy. Not now. “Congratulations on your exams.”  


Tobio blinked. _Congratulations? I failed. Right?_ Tobio stared at the teacher in confusion as the thoughts swam in his head. Had he missed something? “I…huh?” he asked eloquently, not knowing what else to say.

 

Takeda’s smile grew. “Based on your previous scores, you did very well. I wanted to congratulate you.”

 

_I’m so confused…_

“I failed Modern Lit,” Tobio finally managed to voice. Maybe the teacher was unaware of that fact? Maybe the score had somehow managed to slip by him?

 

“Yes,” Takeda agreed calmly, “but you passed all your other exams. And you were very close to passing Modern Lit as well.”

 

Tobio couldn’t do anything but stare at the teacher. He had no idea why the other man looked so happy. Failure was failure. It didn’t matter how close he was. Especially if the score kept him from the game with Nekoma. And all those other schools. His team would be there and Tobio would be here and he wouldn’t be able to-

 

“You only need to take one make up exam,” Takeda continued with a small smile on his lips. “Once you finish the exam, you’ll be able to join us…though the school will not be able to provide transport,” he said airily as he glanced around the room as if the check to see if anyone was within hearing distance. Tobio wondered if this was really something a teacher should be saying to a student. “Now, I think you should be heading to practice.”

 

Tobio nodded his head slowly toward the teacher and before turning toward the door. He stopped when he saw Hinata standing there, his expression just as dour as Tobio’s.

 

Had Hinata failed as well?

 

Hinata walked past Tobio and bowed toward Takeda sensei. Tobio contemplated waiting for the smaller boy but decided to head toward the clubroom.

 

There were people waiting.

 

“Let me see,” Tsukishima grumbled as he held out his hand. Tobio didn’t even bother to argue. He slowly handed the blond the failed exam and waited.

 

“Well,” Suga said, obviously trying to brighten the mood with his cheerful voice. “You were really close!”

 

“Not close enough,” Tsukishima muttered as his eyes slid over the page. Tobio scowled and sank onto the bench as his teammates began to talk.

 

Takeda sensei seemed to think he was still going to be able to go to Tokyo. Was the man not worried about his mother? Did he think that his mother would be accepting of the scores? It was true that this was better than Tobio had done in the past…maybe it was enough?

 

He barely noticed when Hinata sank onto the bench beside him. One glance at the boy left no doubt in Tobio’s mind.

 

He had failed as well.

 

He vaguely heard Tanaka and Noya bragging about their own passing scores, and Suga’s quick comment to make the two stops, but he did focus in on Suga’s next sentence. “What? Hinata, you failed English?”

 

_English? He was always better than me at English…_

“Apparently, he figured out right before time was up that he’d filled in all his answers off by one,” Tsukishima replied to the vice captain.

 

_Idiot._

But if Hinata only failed one test he was in the same situation as Tobio. And he had also had a meeting with Takeda. Did the man say the same thing to the redhead? Tobio had no way of getting to Tokyo. The only thing he could even think of would be if Iwaizumi had some way of getting him there but Tobio really didn’t want to ask him. He didn’t want to be a burden. But if Hinata was going…

 

Well, maybe he could go with him. Though he wasn’t sure how the other boy would be getting there.

 

“How are we going to get to Tokyo?” Hinata finally asked.

 

“Should we run?” It was the only thing that Tobio could think of that wouldn’t put anyone out. He didn’t have anyone to ask, anyway. And he didn’t want to be a burden on Hinata’s mother.

 

“Nah, we need bikes!”

 

“Hey, you two!” Tobio turned his head at the person that had interrupted his and Hinata’s planning session. “You guys only failed one test, right?” Tobio and Hinata both nodded and Tanaka continued on with their confirmation. “The you should be able to finish your supplementary exam in the morning.” _We already know that…_ “After that, I’ll call your savior.”

 

_Our what now?_

But Tobio didn’t have a chance to ask any more questions because Hinata was already on his feet fawning over the second year that looked way too pleased with himself.  And then Daichi was breaking up the commotion and sending them to the gym to practice.

 

So, Tobio figured he would just let whatever it is happen. If Tanaka said he had a way of getting them there, he might as well not question it.

 

He finished practice and walked partway home with Hinata. The redhead was bouncing up and down, saying how excited his mom was going to be with his scores. Not for the first time, Tobio wished his mother was more like Hinata-san. Even if she didn’t understand Hinata’s love for volleyball, she supported him in it. She had signed Hinata’s permission form without any problems. And now, even though Hinata had failed one exam, Hinata was certain she was going to be happy because of how well he did on the others.

 

Tobio was jealous.

 

He wished the other first year a good night and the two parted ways. Tobio turned onto his street and Hinata jumped onto his bike quickly before peddling away. Tobio turned his head and watched him go, feeling that feeling wash over him one last time. Envy. Tobio envied Hinata. He envied the fact that the boy had a family waiting at him for him. A mother that would be proud. A father that always asked about his day. A sister that loved him unconditionally.

 

And Tobio was going home to an empty house.

 

And praying his mother wouldn’t contact him.

 

He let out a deep sigh and turned around to continue his walk home. He needed to let this go. Hinata was his friend. He deserved everything he had.

 

But did Tobio deserve what he had? Did he really _deserve_ to have nothing?

 

“Tobio- _chan_!” Tobio stopped instantly at the familiar voice. He glanced around in surprise at the words. Oikawa was standing by his door, his arms crossed over his chest and a pout on his lips. Tobio wondered if there would ever come a day where the boy didn’t look at him like that. “Why are you ignoring us?!”

 

_…what?..._

“Shut up, Shittykawa!” Another familiar voice snapped and Tobio turned his head slightly to see that Iwaizumi was there as well. Tobio was confused. Today was Thursday. Why were they there on a Thursday? “You got your results today, right?”

 

_Oh._

Tobio nodded and slowly began to walk toward the two third years. “Finally!” Oikawa muttered as he stood fully and let his arms drop. “Iwa-chan has been waiting for you to answer all day!”

 

“Oh, have I now?” Iwaizumi growled but the smirk on his face contradicted his tone. Tobio was confused and he just knew the confusion was showing on his face. Oikawa huffed loudly and didn’t turn his attention toward the boy beside him.

 

“So?” he demanded as he stared at Tobio.

 

Tobio didn’t want to answer. He didn’t want to see the looks… but he knew Oikawa. He knew that the older boy wasn’t going to let this go. “I’m going to Tokyo.”

 

Iwaizumi’s face lit up. “Hey! That’s great-“

 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Oikawa cut in, his eyes narrowing as he refused to let himself be distracted. “Tobio-chan, did you pass?”

 

Tobio moved past the boy and unlocked the door before letting the other two in. Iwaizumi was quiet, his brow’s furrowed as he moved into the main room and took a seat on the couch. His eyes only left Tobio to trade glances with Oikawa. Said boy was standing beside the couch, arms crossed. “Tobio-“

 

“I failed one test,” Tobio finally muttered, pulling said exam out of his bag and handing it to the now fuming Oikawa. The paper was snatched from his hand instantly and the boy’s eyes were flying over the paper.

 

“You said you were going to Tokyo,” Iwaizumi commented as he stood to stand beside Oikawa and glanced at the paper as well.

 

“It was just one,” Tobio mumbled. “It should only take the morning. Tanaka said he could have someone drive us to Tokyo.”

 

“Who?” Oikawa demanded as his eyes snapped up to meet Tobio’s. Tobio instinctively took a step back at the look.

 

He _knew_ Oikawa would be angry.

 

“Uh, I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know?” Oikawa snapped, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. “You not only failed Modern Lit, _which I told you to study for_ , but you now have to take supplementary exams and you’re going to get in a car and drive to Tokyo with someone you don’t even know? I know you aren’t the smartest person, Tobio, but this is ridiculous!”

 

“Oi! Trashy-“

 

“I might not be smart,” Tobio snapped angrily. “But at least my team cares enough about me to find a way to get me there!”

 

“Hey, Kage-“

 

“The only reason your team is _attempting_ to get you to Tokyo is because they know there’s no way they could win without you,” Oikawa snarled as his eyes flashed. “They don’t have enough talent to win without their genius-“

 

“ _Tooru_!”

 

“At least they-“

 

“What? Like you?” Oikawa let out a mocking chuckle. “Why would they like you?! They just _need_ you-“

 

“Enough!” Iwaizumi finally yelled out. Oikawa fell silent instantly. And Tobio…

Tobio couldn’t focus on anything but the words. _Like you? Why would they like you? They just need you._

 

_Why would they like you?_

_Why would they?_

_Why?_

“Get out,” Tobio hissed. His chest was tight. Something was stuck in his throat. He wanted him out. He wanted _them_ out.

 

“Kageyama-“

 

“Get out!” Tobio yelled, throwing his book bag, which had still been clenched in his hands, toward the two boys. He winced as he felt the impact against his legs. Oikawa yelled out at the impact and grabbed his knee. Tobio didn’t care. He didn’t care that he could feel his own knee swelling and he had to quickly shift his weight so he didn’t fall to the ground as it threatened to buckle under him. Didn’t care that Iwaizumi was cursing loudly and wrapping his arm around Oikawa’s waist to hold the other boy up.

 

He didn’t _care_.

 

_Why would they like you?_

“Get out!”

 

“We’re going!” Iwaizumi growled as he helped Oikawa stumble toward the door. Tobio forced himself not to wince at the pain that travelled through his leg as the boys made their way toward the door. He ignored the tears streaming down Oikawa’s face.

 

He just wanted them gone.

 

It wasn’t until the door closed with a loud click that Tobio allowed himself to fall to the floor. This was it. The one thing he had. The one thing he had thought that he might be able to rely on.

 

It was gone.

 

_Why would they like you?_

He didn’t know how long he had sat there. Didn’t know how long those words echoed throughout his head. He kept seeing them. Oikawa’s furious eyes. The snarl on his face. Iwaizumi’s wild eyes. The look Iwaizumi sent him as he walked out the door with Oikawa wrapped around him. The tears that leaked down Oikawa’s cheeks as he put pressure on his injured knee.

 

The knee Tobio had deliberately targeted.

 

The door slamming as the two disappeared.

 

He knew he wouldn’t be seeing either of them walking back through that door again.

 

Tobio jerked his eyes away from the door as his phone began to ring. He almost pounced toward it, wondering if maybe, just maybe, it would be Iwaizumi.

 

It wasn’t.

 

He stared down at the phone in horror. His mother was calling.

 

What perfect timing.

 

It was like she knew. Like she was aware of when his life was falling down around him and she wanted to make sure that she was part of it as well.

 

Tobio took a deep breath and tried to steady himself before answering the call. “Tobio,” his mother’s cool voice came through the receiver.

 

“Hello,” Tobio replied. Shouldn’t he feel more…at ease when she wasn’t actually there? Why was his entire body shaking just from hearing her voice?

 

“I heard about your results,” she commented pointedly. “You failed an exam.”

 

Tobio sucked in a deep breath. He should have known she would find out. How could she have…”I spoke to Takeda sensei. It seems he was impressed with your improvement.”

 

He was impressed.

 

She wasn’t.

 

“I do believe that you could have done better had you not been focusing on that…game,” she frigidly continued. “However, I have no doubt you would not have put so much effort into preparing for the exams without it. Because of this, I will allow you to go to Tokyo after the supplementary exams. I have informed Takeda-san as such.”  


Tobio couldn’t believe what he was hearing. She was letting him go. She was actually letting him go to Tokyo.

 

“That being said, I will not be so lenient in the future.” Of course she wouldn’t. “I expect this to be the last time you have to make up an exam. You have proven you can get the scores if you attempt to do so. If you fail again, I _will_ transfer you to a boarding school. Do you understand?” 

 

“I understand,” Tobio muttered.

 

“Good. You will have your allowance transferred by the end of the week.”

 

Tobio wasn’t able to say another word before the line went dead.

 

Boarding school.

 

She wanted to send him to _boarding school_?

 

What a great night this was.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter of Tokyo! And thank you all so much for the comments last chapter! I'm glad you all enjoyed it!

He refused to think about it.

 

Refused to think about the fact that he had been limping for two days and the swelling in his knee was just now beginning to go down.

 

Refused to think about the look Iwaizumi had given him as he helped Oikawa limp out the door.

 

Refused to look at the missed calls on his phone.

 

Refused to read the various things that had littered his skin.

 

He was tired. And he wasn’t going to deal with it.

 

He was going to focus on volleyball.

 

The needed to beat Nekoma after all.

 

So, he wasn’t going to think about it.

 

None of it.

 

Plus, he had a supplementary test to study for.

 

So that’s what he did.

 

His routine changed slightly yet again. But this time…this time the small change seemed to change everything. He woke up. Went to practice. Went to school. Had lunch with Hinata and Yachi. Afternoon practice. Studied with Hinata and Yachi (Tsukishima refused), went and grabbed some sort of food with the two of them, or sometimes just Hinata if Yachi’s mother was going to be home. Then they would separate and go their own ways. Tobio would go home to a dark house and wouldn’t even bother to turn on a light before he made his way into his room and fell into bed.

 

Repeat.

 

Finally, the day of the exam came. Well, it was actually the day of the away games but his teammates were already gone and Tobio was at the school with Hinata by his side. The two boys didn’t even greet one another before finding their way into the classroom. Takeda had spoken to one of the teachers that agreed to let the two start the exams a bit earlier than the others. It gave them more of a chance to actually be able to play in the games today.

 

Tobio hoped they made it.

 

_“…you’re going to get in a car and drive to Tokyo with someone you don’t even know?”_

 

Tobio shook his head to rid himself of the voice. Not now.

 

The second the two were finished with the exam they were running out of the classroom and out of the main building. Tobio wasn’t sure where they were running to, but he would be willing to run to Tokyo if he had to. He _needed_ to be there. He wanted to-

 

_“They don’t have enough talent to win without their genius-“_

No. He trusted his team. But he knew that they wouldn’t be at the full strength without him and Hinata.

 

“Hey! Failure boys!”

 

Tobio came to a stop, Hinata beside him, as a woman suddenly appeared in front of them. “Get in,” the woman said, gesturing to the van behind her.

 

“Are you Tanaka’s older sister?” Hinata questioned. Tobio looked at the woman in confusion. Sister? They were riding with Tanaka’s sister?

 

He hadn’t even known the second year had a sister.

 

How did Hinata know?

 

“Call me Saeko-nesan,” the woman replied as she walked toward the van. “I’ll get you two to Tokyo in no time.” She threw a wink over her shoulder at the first years.

 

Tobio quickly moved toward the van though he felt just the slight bit nervous. This was Tanaka’s sister – he was sure everything would be fine – but still…

 

Maybe he should have asked a few more questions.

 

Tobio climbed into the back seat, Hinata taking the front, and felt himself relax slightly as Saeko-nesan smiled at him. “Are we ready?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

And then she started to drive.

 

For the first time, Tobio wondered what would happen if he died. Would Iwaizumi and Oikawa be able to feel his passing? Would they be hurt as well? He didn’t know…but he was sure the two would be getting an impressive array of bruises from the way Tobio was being thrown around the car.

 

Not that he cared.

 

Eventually the road evened out and Tobio felt somewhat safer. Well, safer than he had been before. The woman was still driving way too fast.

 

He decided if he was going to die, he would rather not see it coming.

 

With those thoughts in mind, he sprawled out in the back seat and let sleep claim him.

 

He woke up to his stomach gurgling and Saeko-nesan talking. He reached toward his bag that held some snacks as he let the words wash over him. “-what you call an ace, right? The absolute pride and confidence of being an ace…you could see that rising up from his body.” Ace? Who was she talking about? Tobio glanced toward Hinata, frowning, only to see the other boy enraptured in the story. Ah. There was only one person that put that look on Hinata’s face. “Actually, I almost fell for the guy.” She laughed and Tobio flinched back in his seat at the sound. Yes. Definitely Tanaka’s sister. “So, when the ace is in action, everyone around him acts like they aren’t gonna let him do all the work.”

 

“Ne-san, you know a lot about the Little Giant,” Tobio said through a mouthful of food.

 

The girl blushed brightly as she turned to look at him. Tobio wished she wouldn’t. She was still driving after all. “Not really!” She protested loudly. “I just happened to see some of his matches. You were awake, huh?”

 

“Well, I was hungry,” Tobio explained as she turned back around. Good.

 

“So you just follow your instincts.”

 

“Yes.” What type of question was that?

 

“Humph.”

 

Tobio let an eyebrow rise as he looked toward the clock. He had managed to sleep for a good hour. They still had a ways to go before they reached the school the games were being held at. He settled back for the wait, anxiety crawling at him. He wanted to know how the team was doing. Wanted to know what type of players they were up against. Would it even matter if he was there? Would they even place him in if the team had been winning with Suga? Suga was a good setter. He knew the team. He knew what to do to help them.

 

Did they even need Tobio there to win?

 

The thoughts clawed at him the rest of the way. He didn’t even hear Saeko and Hinata’s conversations. Hinata would still get to play if he wasn’t in. He still played during the game against Aoba Johsai when Tobio had been replaced. Sure, he hadn’t been used to his full potential, but he had done his job as the decoy well.

 

So, was all of this even worth it?

 

Was there a possibility that he would arrive and the team would have decided that Suga was the better choice? What if…if all ended with that last game against Aoba Johsai?

 

Saeko finally parked and Tobio shook himself out of the thoughts as he and Hinata exited the van. The two boys, as well as a startling fast Saeko, ran toward the school, intent on finding the gym. Finally, Saeko flew open a door and let out a sigh of relief. “Hey, they’re still at it! We totally made it. Not bad at all!”

 

She pushed her way inside the gym and Tobio and Hinata stepped forward. They were here. They had made it.

 

No, hopefully, they were going to be able to play.

 

“Glad you two could join us,” Ukai grumbled as the two boys hurriedly walked over to join their team. Despite his harsh tone, Tobio thought he could see a small smile playing at the corners of the coach’s mouth. Hope began to rise in his chest.

 

“Great! I think we’re all ready for the two of you to join us,” Daichi said with a smile as he walked up to the two first years. His eyes flickered toward the side, landing on a tall blonde, before turning back toward Tobio and Hinata. “Even if some of us won’t admit it.”

 

“I’ll admit I’m tired of doing punishments,” Tsukishima muttered, “I’ll take anyone’s help for that.”

 

_Punishment?_

“Flying falls around the court if you lose,” Daichi explained. Tobio supposed he must have seen the confusion and probably slight panic on Tobio’s face. Flying falls, huh? Well, at least Hinata might improve at them.

 

Not that Tobio was planning on losing.

 

But they couldn’t win them all.

 

His first game, and Hinata’s of course, was against Shinzen. The two worked flawlessly together and even Tobio could sense the relief from the rest of the team. He wondered just how many ‘punishments’ the other boys had had to do.  They ended up winning the game, 21-25, and Tobio couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling of relief. He was still able to prove himself to his team. They still needed him.

 

_“Why would they like you?! They just need you-“_

 

“Kageyama-kun? Everything okay?” Tobio turned his head toward the boy that was staring at him with a frown on his usually happy face.

 

“Fine.”

 

Hinata hesitated. “Well, if you’re sure-“but Hinata broke off as something caught his attention on the other side of the court. Tobio followed his gaze to where Nekoma was playing on another court. He fully expected the redhead to be focused on Kenma (Hinata seemed to have a weird fascination with the other setter) but instead they boy seemed to be focused on the tall middle blocker. A tall middle blocker that Tobio could honestly say he had never seen before.

 

Interesting.

 

The days games ended and the boys made their way toward the cafeteria where food was waiting for them. Tobio found himself at a loss when he had his plate in hand. Hinata had migrated toward the Nekoma setter, who was sitting beside Nekoma’s captain and two boys from Fukurōdani. Tobio didn’t really feel comfortable joining them –especially since he hadn’t been invited. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had sectioned themselves off from the rest of the boys and seemed to be talking quietly among themselves. The second years were all sitting together. The third years were as well.

 

Tobio didn’t know where he fit.

 

 _Did_ he fit?

 

He stood there, his fingers tightening around his tray more and more, until his eyes caught a pair of golden brown eyes. Said eyes were narrowed as they observed him before the boy seemed to let out a sigh and say something to his companion. Yamaguchi turned sharply and sent a smile toward Tobio. “Kageyama-kun! Come join us!”

 

He didn’t move. Did he just get invited to sit with Yamaguchi and _Tsukishima_? If he wasn’t mistaken…Tsukishima was the one that initiated it. Yamaguchi was following orders. Was that really the snarky first year? “King! Are you coming or not?”

 

Yeah, definitely Tsukishima.

 

With hesitant steps, Tobio made his way toward the corner the two first years had seemed to claim. Yamaguchi smiled brightly as he gestured toward the open chair beside him. Tobio slowly placed his tray on the table and slid into the seat.

 

He was extremely confused.

 

“How did the supplementary exam go?” Yamaguchi asked after a moment of silence.

 

Tobio wondered if the other boy found this as awkward as he did. “Uh, fine. I think. Feels better than before.”

 

“Well, if it _feels_ better…” Tsukishima muttered with a roll of his eyes. Tobio felt himself flush. What was it about the blond that made one sentence, an _incomplete_ sentence at that, get under is skin so easily? He heard an irritated sigh before the blond continued in his usual stoic tone, all sarcasm missing. “For not focusing on comprehension, you did surprisingly well during your last exam. I’m sure you managed to skid past the 40 points required.”  


Tobio’s eyes shot up toward the boy in surprise. Tsukishima wasn’t looking at him; instead he was staring down at his own plate as he methodically ate his food. He had never seen anyone eat like that. So…meticulous. Like a robot. It was a bit unnerving.

 

“How was the ride here?” Yamaguchi asked after another awkward moment of silence. “Tanaka-san seemed a bit…worried this morning.”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed as he remembered the nerve-wracking ride with Tanaka’s sister. “Terrifying,” Tobio admitted before he really thought about his answer. Yamaguchi let out a bark of laughter in surprise and even Tsukishima snorted before quickly covering his mouth with his hand. Tobio felt himself flush once again but quickly ducked his head and started to eat. He didn’t need Tsukishima to comment.

 

The three boys ate in silence. It seemed that neither Tsukishima nor Yamaguchi really wanted to continue their conversation with Tobio present. And Tobio wasn’t exactly sure how to initiate a conversation. What did people usually talk about? The weather? What they did that day? He already knew what the two had done that day. And they knew where he had been. They had already covered the car ride. What else was there to say?

 

He broke out of his thoughts as Yamaguchi cleared his throat loudly. Tobio glanced up and felt his eyebrows rise in surprise when he saw the bright blush on the other first year’s face. “What?” Tsukishima demanded as he also looked toward his best friend.

 

Yamaguchi cleared his throat once again, “Well, I…um…Kageyama-kun? Can I ask you a question?”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed. A question? What type of question would have Yamaguchi looking at him like that? “Uh…sure?”

 

Yamaguchi nodded once before staring down at his plate. Tobio’s frown became more pronounced as he looked at the blond across from him. Tsukishima had his own calculating look plastered across his face. His eyes flickered from Yamaguchi to Tobio before sudden understanding flooded his features. “Why don’t we finish eating and then head back to the room,” the blond said, his voice softer than Tobio had ever heard.

 

It was creepy.

 

“Okay, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi murmured in compliance before digging into his food. Tobio slowly began to eat his own meal as he thought about the words. He didn’t understand what Yamaguchi would want to ask him about. Or why Tsukishima thought they should wait until they were in their room before he asked.

 

He wasn’t sure he liked it.

 

Soon enough, Tobio found himself slowly following behind a soft speaking Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. Every so often, Yamaguchi would glance over his shoulder as if to check that Tobio was still following. Tobio didn’t know why he bothered. It wasn’t as if he had anywhere else to go.

 

Tobio looked around the room curiously once the three boys stepped inside. There were various futons set up with bags placed beside them. Tobio’s own bag was beside the door – Saeko had promised him and Hinata that she would put their bags in the room. He grabbed his and looked for an empty futon. “Over here,” Yamaguchi said with a nervous smile as he moved toward a futon toward the far wall. Tsukishima perched on the one beside it, his back pressed against the wall. Tobio wasn’t surprised. Tsukishima wasn’t one for being in the center of a group of people.

 

Yamaguchi gestured toward the futon beside his own. “I put out futons for you and Hinata. I didn’t think the two of you would want to mess with it after everything today.”

 

“Thanks,” Tobio muttered as he threw his bag down on the floor and lowered himself onto the futon. He watched as Yamaguchi waveringly stood in front of his own futon. Tsukishima as looking for and more irritated with his best friend.

 

“Hurry up already,” the blond suddenly snapped, causing Yamaguchi to instantly sink down.

 

“Sorry, Tsukki.” Yamaguchi fixed his eyes on Tobio and took a deep breath, his face flushed bright red. “I…I know this isn’t…I mean, you never really seem like you want to…but you’re the only one I know…well, besides my parents or Tsukki’s parents but I don’t really…”

 

“Wow,” Tsukishima said wryly from his place against the wall. He had his phone in front of him and his eyes didn’t even bother to move up from whatever he was looking at on the screen. “How very eloquent of you. Are you channeling Hinata?”

 

Yamaguchi’s nervous expression cracked as his face burned an even brighter red. Tobio was impressed. He had never seen another person turn that color before. “Tsukki!” He complained as he buried his face in his hands.

 

Tobio felt his own lips twitch, despite his nervousness. What was Yamaguchi so afraid to talk to him about? He couldn’t think of anything he had done to upset the other boy.

 

“Just ask him,” Tsukishima reprimanded his friend tiredly.

 

Yamaguchi glanced up at Tobio through his parted fingers. “I just…I know it’s uncomfortable for you so I didn’t want to…” he took a deep breath once again and then let his hand drop, once again revealing his face. “I…think I found my soulmate.”

 

_Oh._

Tobio shifted uncomfortably at the word. He didn’t want to think about soulmates. Especially now. But…this was a chance for him to actually help. To prove that his team needed him for more than just…just being the _genius_ setter. Isn’t this how people started making friends?

 

_“Why would they like you?! They just need you-“_

 

“Congratulations,” Tobio finally said, keeping his voice carefully controlled.

 

“Uh, thanks,” Yamaguchi muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I just…I felt some sort of…connection the moment we met. And then bruises and stuff started to…I just, I don’t know what to do,” he finally admitted.

 

Tobio didn’t know what to say. “I…might not be the best to talk to about this,” he managed to mutter as he turned his eyes away from Yamaguchi’s hopeful eyes. “I…didn’t really…know who my soulmates were until…well, years after they met. The bruises and writing just started appearing…”  


“Oh,” Yamaguchi’s face fell, “I guess I just assumed…”

 

“Sorry,” Tobio sighed. This had been his one chance to really talk to the other first year. He and Yamaguchi had never really had a conversation. He had spoken to Hinata and Tobio was pretty sure the two were friends, but Tobio had never really had anything to speak to Yamaguchi about.

 

“Well, if we’re done with that,” Tsukishima muttered, sitting up and letting his phone drop down beside him. “Can we just agree that you actually talk to Hitoka-san? She’s probably panicking just as much as you are.” The first year sent a mischievous smirk at his friend. “You two really are a perfect match.”

 

Yamaguchi let out a loud whine toward his friend once more and Tobio couldn’t help but stare at them enviously as Tsukishima laughed. The two had a friendship that Tobio had never really seen before. It was different than the friendship he saw between Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Or between Kindaichi and Kunimi. Or even between himself and Hinata. It was obvious the two could rely on each other for anything but they were able to…

 

Stop.

 

Stop thinking about this. Stop comparing everything around to Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Just…stop.

 

“Your soulmate is Hitoka?” Tobio questioned, trying to get his thoughts back on track and away from the area they had wandered to. It was an area he would rather ignore.

 

Yamaguchi nodded and Tobio tried to smile at him. It apparently backfired by the startled glance Yamaguchi gave him and the muffled laughter from Tsukishima. Grimacing, Tobio forced himself to look away from the two boys and grabbed his phone. “Seriously, you should go speak to Hitoka,” Tsukishima muttered as he slid his headphones over his ears. Yamaguchi hesitated for a moment, earning himself a reproving look from his best friend, before standing and making his way out the door.

 

That left Tobio alone with Tsukishima, who seemed completely comfortable ignoring him. Wondering where the other boys were, Tobio logged onto a YouTube and searched for volleyball videos. He might as well do something. It wasn’t as if he could go to sleep – he slept too long in the car for that.

 

He scrolled through the results and almost dropped his phone at what he saw. Oikawa Tooru serve. Amazing service ace. Strong serve video.

 

Why was it that whenever he wanted to forget something it seemed to appear everywhere he looked?

 

“Volleyball videos? Do you ever take a break?” Tsukishima asked. Tobio jumped in surprise. When had Tsukishima moved?

 

Tobio shrugged his shoulders and the blond let out a loud sigh. “Whatever. Just…thanks. For listening to him.” Tsukishima looked uncomfortable and Tobio couldn’t help but feel the same. This was…not a conversation he wanted to have with the blond. It was weird. “He’s been hysterical for weeks. And since no one else on the team has met their soulmates…”

 

He trailed off and Tobio found himself nodding. He knew how terrifying it could be when you didn’t have anyone to talk to about it. He remembered just how much he wanted to just…blurt it all out to the first person he came across. He was glad that Yamaguchi had thought he could talk to him.

 

Even if he couldn’t really help him.

 

Useless as always.

 

“Anyway, just take it easy,” Tsukishima finally muttered once again as he moved back to his own futon and once again covered his ears with his headphones.

 

Tobio had no idea what was going on or what the other boy meant by those words.

 

He furrowed his brow and turned back to his phone. He looked over the results once more and then timidly moved up to the search bar. Swallowing hard, he typed in three words. **_Oikawa Tooru Serve_**. There were hundreds of results. Hundreds.

 

Why had he never done this before?

 

All of those nights trying to remember the older boy’s movements. All that time watching him as he tried to mimic that serve. And all he had to do was one quick search and he could see the serve from multiple angles. He could slow it down. Speed it up.

 

He needed to practice this.

 

He spent the rest of the night with his eyes glued to the screen. He didn’t even notice when the rest of the team finally made their way into the room and onto their futons.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments everyone! You guys really make me want to write more of this! We're back to angst...or maybe we never left. I'm not so sure anymore.

Tobio was exhausted the next morning. He wasn’t really sure how late he had stayed up watching those videos – late enough that Tanaka, after startling himself awake with a particularly loud snore, managed to pry the phone from Tobio’s hands and order the younger boy to sleep. Tobio just hadn’t been able to stop himself.

 

It was like had got sucked in and hadn’t been able to stop.

 

Interesting that he compared Oikawa to some sort of drug or something. Maybe that said more about how he thought about the third year than he was comfortable with. Best to put that thought in the box labeled ‘do not open’ within his mind.

 

“Kageyama-kun! Come on!” Hinata said in excitement as he bounced on his heels by the door. “I’m hungry! And then we get to play!”

 

Tobio stared in incomprehension at the redhead for a moment. Did that mean Hinata expected them to eat breakfast together? He had thought that, after last night, he would have continued to sit with Kenma during meals. “I thought you would eat with Kenma,” Tobio finally just voiced his thoughts as he walked toward the other first year.

 

“Eh,” Hinata said as he waved his hand around, “He told me not to bother him in the mornings. Apparently, he barely makes it in time for the games. Kuroo-san has to drag him to the gym.”

 

Oh. So, he was the second choice.

 

At least it was better than never being chosen at all.

 

The two made their way toward the cafeteria and Hinata led them over toward Noya and Tanaka. Tobio slowly sank down in the chair beside the redhead, making sure to keep the other first year between himself and the second years. Those two made him uncomfortable. And confused. Uncomfortable and confused.

 

He ate breakfast quickly and quietly. Hinata was talking about Kenma and how he had spent the hours last night before bed with the boy in Nekoma’s room. He was retelling every single detail of his and Kenma’s interactions, as well as the conversation they had about the tall first year from Nekoma. And then he was ranting about his bathroom interaction with said first year.

 

Tobio thought of the first time he had seen the boy. It was in front of the bathroom during Junior High before their first match.

 

Maybe Hinata just needed to stay away from bathrooms.

 

“Are you two ready to actually play today?” Tanaka asked, cutting Hinata off mid rant. “It would be nice to get out of punishments again.”

 

“Ah, I don’t know,” Noya commented with a bright grin. “They weren’t so bad!”

 

“Noya you’re the only person that wouldn’t think that-“

 

“Come on you four!” Daichi called. Tobio glanced around and realized most of the cafeteria had cleared out. He hurriedly shoved the rest of his food in his mouth and grabbed his tray to drop it off to be cleaned. Then he jogged toward the gym with Hinata, Noya, and Tanaka behind him.

 

“Our first game today is against Nekoma,” Coach Ukai announced as the boys all fell in line. “How did we do yesterday?” Ukai asked Shimizu-san.

 

The girl flipped open her notebook, “This will be our third set overall with Nekoma. Yesterday we played two sets with them. The scores were 17-25 and 19-25, both our losses.”

 

“Simply put, we haven’t won a single set,” Ukai cut in. Tobio scowled. Nekoma was strong and they knew how to counter the quick attack. Which meant that Tobio and Hinata needed to find a way to get around their counter. What could they do? “But if we calm down and got out there in full force, they should be opponents we can fight on equal footing. Hinata and Kageyama,” Tobio jerked to attention when his name was said. “This is your first Nekoma set in a while, isn’t it? Go show them what you’ve got.”

 

“Right!”

 

It became apparent quickly that Lev, despite not having been present the last time they played against Nekoma, was able to keep up with Hinata. Mostly it was just because of his height – his arms were long enough that he could twist his body to reach Hinata’s jump. So far, he hadn’t been able to stop the ball…but it was only a matter of time.

 

They needed to figure something else out.

 

Or they would lose.

 

The same way they lost to Aoba Johsai.

 

And then, quicker than Tobio would have liked, Nekoma’s new middle blocker was able to stop Hinata’s attack. Tobio let out a sigh when he saw the look of shock and annoyance on Hinata’s face. He had no doubt the boy was relieving that defeat at Inter High.

 

Tobio didn’t want to think about that.

 

Or the players on that team.

 

“Hey, I’m gonna add in more normal quicks,” Tobio told the boy quietly. “The floaty ones.” Hinata didn’t react and Tobio’s brows furrowed. “Hey, are you listening?”

 

Tobio took a step back as a small smile crossed the boys face. What the hell was he smiling at? As far as Tobio could see, there was no reason to be smiling. At all. “Yeah…”

 

Tobio frowned but moved back into position. He would never understand Hinata. Or most people actually, but Hinata was a case all on his own. The next play began and that tall middle blocker was once again blocking Hinata’s attack. “Damn it!” Tobio hissed. He had no doubt that Kenma had been able to read what he was going to do and relayed it to his team. Kenma might not have the ‘perfect’ sets people accused Tobio of having, but he was intelligent and great at strategy. Almost like Oikawa.

 

Tobio wondered if Kenma would be able to teach him.

 

Oikawa hadn’t.

 

“Kageyama-kun!” Hinata called, breaking Tobio’s train of thought. He turned his head only to see the rest of the team already standing beside Coach Ukai. Apparently, he had called a time out when Tobio wasn’t paying attention.

 

He reprimanded himself as hastily moved toward the rest of the team. He was given multiple questioning looks as he stepped up beside Hinata but Tobio just kept his eyes fixed on the coach. He didn’t want them to know what he was thinking. That would lead to questions. Questions he didn’t want to answer.

 

“They already had a careful eye on our quicks,” Ukai said to them after frowning at Tobio for a moment. “For the time being, when we’re up against Nekoma, let’s mainly have Azumane and Tanaka attacking from the left.”

 

“All right!”

 

Tobio didn’t look toward Hinata. He knew the other boy would be upset about the order. He didn’t know how to deal with it.

 

He thanked Hitoka-san as she handed him a water bottle. He went to take a drink when his eyes landed on the redhead. The boy was smiling again with his hand clutching his jersey, right on top of his heart. Tobio frowned. He didn’t want to leave Hinata out. It might not be the best plan to toss to Hinata but he wasn’t just going to ignore him. Nekoma wasn’t the only team that had learned to deal with their quick attack. If they didn’t learn to deal with it now when they had the chance, they might not get the chance to do so again. How would they deal with Aoba Johsai if they didn’t come up with a plan?

 

Nekoma was the perfect way to find out how to do that.

 

So, he would toss to Tanaka and Asahi. But he wouldn’t stop tossing to Hinata. This was the perfect time to work this out.

 

But he didn’t have the chance.

 

It was when Tobio had to receive a ball that it happened. Tobio received, Daichi got it up, and Asahi moved in for the spike. But Asahi wasn’t the only person jumping.

 

Hinata was going for it as well.

 

Tobio watched in a type of fascinated horror as Hinata and Asahi slammed together. Asahi somehow managed to land on his feet but Hinata went down, slamming onto his back. Tobio jumped to his feet, eyes wide, when Asahi started stammering apologies.

 

Apologies he didn’t need to give.

 

If Hinata wasn’t injured, Tobio was going to kill him.

 

 “I’m sorry!” Hinata suddenly shouted toward the third-year ace, sitting up quickly enough that Tobio wasn’t worried about his health. “I was just staring at the ball…I’m sorry!”

 

“Are you okay?” Asahi asked as he knelt down beside the boy.

 

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”  


“Hey, be careful!” Tanaka chuckled as Hinata continued to apologize over and over again.

 

Noya was also smiling. “No matter what, Shoyu’s gonna be the one that goes flying.”

 

Tobio didn’t know why everyone seemed to think it was funny. Not only had Hinata moved to spike a ball that was set for the ace, he had almost got himself and Asahi seriously injured.

 

“Pay attention to your surroundings, you idiot!” Coach Ukai screamed. “Why do you think everyone’s calling for the ball, you dumbass!”

 

Ah. That was more like it.

 

And if Ukai was yelling, so could Tobio. “Moron! Hinata, you moron!”

 

“Right,” the boy whimpered, “I’m sorry!”

 

“Now calm down Kageyama!” Tobio didn’t even know where the words had come from but he turned his furious glare on his teammates, daring one of them to say it again. None did. Even Tsukishima was just staring at himself and Hinata. Fine then.

 

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! You could have hurt our ace! Or you could have been injured! Don’t do it again, dumbass!”

 

Tobio stomped away from Hinata. Best to let the idiot think about what he did for a moment. “Getting a little protective there, King,” Tsukishima muttered as he walked past.

 

“Don’t call me that!”

 

Tsukishima didn’t respond but the smirk he sent Tobio’s way did nothing but make anger flare in the setters’ body. He hated it when the blond used that nickname. Hated it when anyone used that nickname.

 

“Hey, Kageyama-kun,” Tobio glanced down at the small redhead.

 

“What?”

 

“The quick that goes like whoosh…” Hinata started, his voice oddly calm. “I’ll…stop closing my eyes.”

 

_He’ll do what now?_

“Huh?”

 

“I can’t stay like this,” Hinata admitted. Tobio knew that. Isn’t that what he had just been thinking? “I can’t keep hitting quicks that are set just for me.”

 

Tobio fought back a loud sigh of annoyance. There was a reason Hinata had closed his eyes when he spiked. Because he had never been able to do it with his eyes open.

 

And now wasn’t the time for him to try it.

 

“You can’t and that’s why we learned normal quicks,” Tobio told him bluntly. “I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, but if you have something to say, I’ll listen to it later. But if you’re gonna do that right now, I’m not going to set it to a guy who I know is going to miss.”

 

Tobio turned away from Hinata. There was no way he was going to set the ball to Hinata and watch as he missed it over and over again. They could practice it later. Now was a good time to for them to find a strategy to work around the block. Not work on a move they know they can’t pull off.

 

The game continued and Tobio kept to his word. He set the ball to Tanaka and Asahi. He kept it away from Hinata. He could see the frustration radiating from the other boy but he couldn’t give in. Not now. Not in the middle of a game.

 

They lost to Nekoma and Tobio found himself doing flying falls around the gym. He rolled his eyes as Hinata tried, and failed, to do the same. Noya was quick to intervene and help the younger boy. Good. He needed to practice things beyond spiking.

 

Tobio finished his punishment and moved to step in line in front of Takeda. “You guys are the weakest team out of all the teams here,” the man said with a smile. Tobio felt something in him recoil at the words. He was never the weakest. And his team wouldn’t be either.

 

They would find a way.

 

“If we were to have an official match with any of these teams, they would be a troublesome opponent. Are we going to view them as mere opponents, or teachers that we can absorb techniques from? The fact that you are weak just means you have room to grow. There’s nothing more exciting than that.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

Tobio and the rest of the team moved away from Takeda and Tobio was led out of the gym with Hinata by his side. Suga was smiling at him softly as he turned to face the two first years. “It wouldn’t hurt to try,” Suga said kindly, “I mean, he was able to do a normal quick on the fly in the last Nekoma match.”

 

 _That’s not the same._ “At the time, there was a possibility the normal quick would work,” Tobio explained to the third year. “And I thought that was the only chance we had.” They had to see what he was saying, right? This wasn’t the right time for them to be trying something like that.

 

“Before I knew it,” Hinata said softly, making Tobio strain to hear the words. “We lost the last set with Seijoh.” Tobi flinched at the reminder. “When I realized it, the ball that was hit was behind me and on the floor. I don’t want you to apologize Kageyama. I want to fight in mid-air until the very last moment.”

 

Suga didn’t seem able to move his eyes from Hinata. Tobio was also staring at the smaller boy but not because of his words. He was staring at him because he couldn’t figure out how to explain the thoughts that were in his head. How did he tell the boy that what he was thinking was wrong? “I sort of realized in the Seijoh match that it’s the setter that brings out 100% of the spikers strength,” oh, how excited Oikawa would be to hear him say that. “That quick is your ultimate weapon. Any slight slippage in that quick becomes a fatal mistake. Your will is not needed for that quick.” He didn’t know if they understood. Didn’t know how else he would be able to explain it. That it wasn’t Hinata’s fault they lost that match.

 

It was Tobio’s.

 

Tobio turned and made his way back into the gym, blinking in surprise when he saw Ukai standing there. He paused for a moment but Ukai merely nodded his head and turned his attention back toward whatever Suga was saying to Hinata. Tobio didn’t care enough to listen. He said what he needed to say. And he was right.

 

They wouldn’t be able to convince him otherwise.

 

And he was the one tossing the ball.

 

Tobio continued to walk inside and began to prepare for their next match. They were playing against Fukurōdani and, from what he had heard the others saying, they were going to need all of their tricks to win against them.

 

“Narita,” Ukai said as he walked back into the gym, “switch out with Hinata this match.”

 

Tobio’s head snapped around to stare at the coach in horror. He was taking Hinata out of the game? Now? When they were getting ready to play Fukurōdani?

 

“Despite what you think you want to accomplish,” Ukai said as he walked up to a shocked Hinata. “You need to chill out today. I don’t think it’s gonna work to try things out today.” _That’s what I’ve been trying to say the entire time!_ “And I’m not gonna have you end up in a contact play like that again and get hurt.”

 

_That’s the same thing I said earlier. But I wouldn’t have taken Hinata out of the game. Not yet. Let him see what’s happening so he understands. If you take him out, he’s just going to push it even more._

But Hinata stood beside Suga as Karasuno played against Fukurōdani.

 

They didn’t stand a chance.

 

Not with Bokuto’s spikes and the way the setter was able to pinpoint exactly what Tobio wanted to do. Tobio was irritated and impressed. The boy, Akaashi, was like a weird hybrid version of Kenma and Oikawa with Suga’s instincts to take care of his team. And the boy was studying him just as much. It made Tobio just slightly uncomfortable but he didn’t feel like he was in any way hostile. It was a different feeling.

 

Tobio found himself packing up his bag in silence that afternoon. Hinata hadn’t said a word to him the rest of the day and the rest of the team seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. They all moved toward the bus and Tobio quickly stepped on board and took a window seat. From where he was sitting, he could see most of his teammates bidding goodbyes to the friends they had made that weekend. The only people that followed him onto the bus was Tsukishima and Yamaguchi that had taken seats beside each other a few rows away from Tobio.

 

Tobio couldn’t say he was surprised when Hinata ended up taking a seat away from him, leaving the seat directly next to Tobio open. Still, he felt a pang within his chest at the action. He had never understood things like this. Why did people get so upset when they were told the truth?

 

_“Why would they like you?! They just need you-“_

Oh. Maybe he could understand.

 

Just because it was the truth doesn’t make it any easier to hear.

 

Tobio supposed he should be happy that all Hinata did was sit away from him on the bus. It wasn’t as if he threw something at Tobio. In a particularly delicate spot.

 

He swore he felt his knee twitch at the reminder.

 

It was a reminder he really didn’t want.

 

But still… he had been ignoring the numerous messages all weekend. Should he check them? Did he really want to know what they said? Would it be better for him to just have a clean break? Probably. Did he want a clean break? …he didn’t know. It wasn’t as if Iwaizumi had tried very hard. Yes, Tobio had unopened messages from him on his phone. But…well, he knew where Tobio lived. If he really wanted to talk to him, he could have come to the house.

 

But he never had.

 

And even if he did show up…would he want Tobio to apologize? Tobio wasn’t going to apologize. He hadn’t done anything wrong! Well…he probably shouldn’t have thrown…well, no, he didn’t feel guilty for throwing something at Oikawa. He did feel guilty for _where_ he threw it. He shouldn’t have aimed at Oikawa’s knee. That was really…not a good thing for him to do…

 

The guilt that flowed through him was enough to convince him of that.

 

But…he wasn’t the only one that had aimed for a sore area. His area wasn’t physical but Oikawa had known just where to hit with his words. And he hadn’t pulled any punches.

 

So Tobio hadn’t either.

 

But he shouldn’t have done it. He knew that.

 

He still wasn’t going to apologize.

 

The bus came to a stop and Tobio jerked his head up in surprise. They were at Karasuno. He had just spent the last few hours thinking about Iwaizumi and Oikawa when he should have been thinking about volleyball and what they were going to do next. He had wasted that entire time thinking about two people that he knew weren’t thinking about him.

 

Tobio followed the rest of his team off of the bus. “All right, everyone. Good work,” Takeda smiled. “So, as I mentioned, tomorrow there will be inspections in the gym, so there’ll be no club activities.” Tobio frowned at the reminder. This wasn’t the time for them to skip a day of practice. “You’ve all gone a long time without a break, so please enjoy it.” _Enjoy it? Why would I enjoy losing a day of practice?_

Letting out a sigh, Tobio threw his bag over his shoulder and started his walk home. He would need to find something to do tomorrow afternoon. Now that exams were over he wouldn’t be focusing on studying. And without practice…

 

What was he supposed to do all night?

 

“Kageyama-kun,” Tobio stopped in surprise and turned his head. “Give me a toss.”  


Tobio gazed at the redhead. He knew what Hinata wanted. Did he go ahead and do it or did he continue home? He knew that it wouldn’t go well. He knew that Hinata wouldn’t be able to hit their special quick with his eyes open. But…should he go ahead and let him try? Maybe it would cause Hinata to let this go and they could move on. Or he would try harder and they would have a new attack to use in the Spring High.

 

“Fine,” Tobio muttered as he turned back toward the gym.

 

The two worked in silence, setting up the equipment and getting things out of the storage room. It was familiar work. The two were usually the first at practice each morning.

 

“You two aren’t going home yet?” a soft voice asked from the open gym door. Tobio glanced over his shoulder. He was surprised Hitoka hadn’t left with Yamaguchi. The two had seemed to be talking to each other throughout the day.

 

“Yachi-san, if you don’t mind, could you throw us some balls?” Hinata asked.

 

“Huh? Can I do that?”

 

“You just have to throw the balls above Kageyama’s head.”

 

“S-sure! I’ll give it a try!”

 

The three got into position and Tobio quickly explained to Hitoka where she needed to throw the ball. She nodded nervously and Tobio moved into his usual position by the net. “Let’s do this!” Hinata yelled out.

 

Yachi threw the ball as Hinata began to run and Tobio sent the usual quick toss toward Hinata. Who missed it.

 

He couldn’t do it. He never jumped high enough when he had his eyes open. _He keeps getting distracted by the ball and can’t jump his highest._

“One more time!”

 

So, they tried. Again and again. Hinata was never able to hit the ball. His jumps weren’t high enough. His swing was off. This wasn’t working.

 

The longer it went on, the more irritated Tobio grew. Why were they spending all this time working on a move that wasn’t going to work?! They could be working on other things, things that Hinata completely sucked at. But no, here they were, practicing nonstop on something the other boy just wasn’t able to accomplish.

 

“One more time!”

 

It was after what felt like the fiftieth time that Tobio’s control of his temper snapped. “Instead of practicing an attack we’re not sure you’ll ever be able to do, you should be working on the attacks we’ve been using, as well as serving and blocking!”

 

“If this quick doesn’t work,” Hinata snapped back, “there’s no point in me being on the court.”

 

Tobio was furious. So, the boy didn’t think that he was worth anything if he couldn’t do this? Was everything they had accomplished this year been for nothing?! “And I told you, your will isn’t needed for that quick!” Tobio yelled back. “I’ll give you tosses that won’t be stopped by blocks!”

 

“But then I’ll never get better!” Hinata yelled. Tobio wanted to slam his head against a wall. He had just said there were other things the boy needed to be working on! Why wasn’t Hinata listening to him?

 

Tobio clenched his teeth, hoping that the boy would understand. “The prelims for the Spring tournament start next month! They’re right around the corner. What do you think will be an effective weapon for us? A complete quick or an absolutely useless quick?” The petulant look on Hinata’s face had Tobio reaching out to grab the other boy’s shirt. Why wasn’t Hinata understanding? Why wasn’t he even trying? “Huh?!”

 

_Damn it! What I’m saying is correct. So why…why does he keep hanging on?!_

 

Hinata scowled and reached up to grab Tobio’s hand in a tight grip. “I want to be strong enough to compete by myself!” The boy snapped.

 

Tobio moved his other hand to grab onto Hinata. He needed to do something! Why wasn’t he listening?! “Your selfishness is going to destroy the team’s balance!” He pushed against Hinata’s chest and watched in horror as the boy flew backwards and slammed onto the gym floor. He had done that. He had actually caused someone, someone that he actually thought of as a friend, to fall. He had pushed him.

 

Just like he had intentionally thrown his bag at Oikawa.

 

But he couldn’t back down. Not until Hinata understood what he was saying. And there was only one thing he could use against Hinata to make the boy see things from his point of view. “I’ll toss to anyone who’s essential to winning, but I don’t think you’re essential right now.” It was the same words he had said to the boy before they started their quick. It was the words that had caused Hinata to push himself. If it worked then it could work now. “And I don’t feel any different now.”

 

There that should be enough for Hinata to-

 

“Kageyama!” Hinata screamed. Tobio turned back to face the boy quickly and something in him reeled back in horror when he saw the smaller boy launching himself at him. Tobio tried to brace himself but the other boys motion made him skid across the floor. Hinata had slammed into his side and Tobio flinched at the impact. “Damn it! Let go!” He yelled as he tried to push the smaller boy off of him.

 

“I won’t let go until you give me a toss!”

 

Tobio turned sharply and pushed at the smaller body at the same time, forcing the other boy off of him. He took a deep breath and forced air into his lungs. His side hurt. It hurt to breathe. He kept a wary eye on Hinata as he tried and that was the only reason he was able to stop himself from falling over as Hinata once again launched himself toward Tobio. The boy slammed into his body and reached up, gripping just below Tobio’s chin. Tobio felt his throat closing in the other boys hold. He moved his own hands forward, trying to force the other off. “Don’t be ridiculous,” Hinata snapped as Tobio gasped for breath, “That quick was stopped! Today and during the Seijoh match!”

 

Tobio somehow managed to shift Hinata’s hand so it was pressed up on his face instead of his throat. At least he could breathe. “Are you trying to say that my toss was at fault?” he yelled.

 

“No! That’s not it! It was perfect! It was spot on! And yet it was stopped!” Tobio could barely hear the words the other boy was yelling. Hinata’s hands were still gripping him and he was still trying to push the boy off of him. His chest hurt. His side hurt. His face hurt.

 

He wanted this to be over.

 

“If I don’t get better, it’s not going to work on stronger opponents, either!”

 

“Stop it you two!” A new voice cut in and Tobio didn’t have time to react when he was once again slammed into. This time he didn’t have time to brace himself and he slammed onto the floor, his head slamming onto the wood. He moaned at the impact. “What the hell is wrong with you two?!” Tanaka demanded as he stood over them. Tobio flinched and managed to pull himself away from the older boy. “Both of you get up and get home!”  


Tobio wasn’t going to argue.

 

He staggered to his feet. He was gasping for breath. His entire body ached. He hadn’t felt like this since…well, since the last time his mother had gotten angry. He kept his eyes down as he limped toward the gym doors. “Kageyama-kun! Let me help-“  


Tobio shook his head and Hitoka stopped immediately. He didn’t want her help. He didn’t need it. All he wanted was to go home and go to sleep. And stay far, far away from Hinata and Tanaka.

 

Maybe it was a good thing they didn’t have practice tomorrow.

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This took me a bit longer than I thought - and I read through it but let me know if I missed anything! I don't really think I read it close enough. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know. And thanks for all your comments on the last chapter! You guys made my day!

Tobio wasn’t really sure how long it had taken for him to get home. He knew he had to stop on multiple occasions and lean against a wall to catch his breath. He knew that at some point he staggered into the house and into his room. He knew he should stop and eat something but…all he wanted to do was sleep. He wasn’t sure if he could keep anything down if he ate, anyway. The pain was making him somewhat nauseous.

 

He managed to crawl into his bed and curl up around his blanket. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself to go to sleep. The sooner he went to sleep, the sooner he could-

 

Well, no. The sooner he could do nothing. The only thing he had to do tomorrow was go to school. There was no practice. He doubted he would speak with Hinata. And if the other members of the team found out about tonight…

 

He should just plan to be alone tomorrow.

 

Not that it was any different than any other day.

 

It was with those thoughts that he finally managed to fall asleep. His dreams were confusing. Flashes of his team. His mother. Iwaizumi. Oikawa. Hinata’s angry eyes as he came running at him. And then pain.

 

His eyes flew open at the last and he tried to swing himself out of bed, only to fall back against the mattress and hiss in pain. He wasn’t sure what hurt more. His right side was throbbing and his head felt like someone was playing drums inside it. He groaned and cautiously pushed himself into a sitting position. His stomach began to revolt at the sudden movement and Tobio clenched his eyes shut as he tried to fight back the nausea. Slowly the feeling began to pass and Tobio was able to stand from the bed. He gradually made his way down the hall and into the bathroom where he kept the few medications he had. Grabbing the first bottle he saw, Tobio quickly took a couple of pills and hoped that they would kick in quickly. He really didn’t want to go to class when he felt like this.

 

Tobio quickly stepped into the shower and let out a deep sigh as the hot water began to pound against him. It really did feel good. He glanced down and winced when he saw the dark purple bruise that covered his right side. No wonder it hurt so bad.

 

He washed quickly and carefully before stepping out of the shower. He forgot to bring clothes with him which meant he was going to have to walk to his room in just a towel. Not really a big deal since he lived alone but it really was an inconvenience. He let out a small groan and began to walk toward the door – only to stop in surprise when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. There was a nasty bruise on his forehead, most likely from when he had fallen and slammed his head onto the floor, and a small cut on his cheek. He wasn’t sure where that was from –it could have happened when he had fallen or maybe when Hinata had grabbed him. Thinking of those hands grabbing onto him, Tobio tilted his head up scowled when he saw the slight discoloration on his throat.

 

Well, there was no way he was going to school like this.

 

He carefully walked toward the kitchen and grabbed one of the protein bars he had stored there before going back to his bedroom. He needed to eat something so he didn’t get sick after the medication but he didn’t have the patience today to actually make something to eat. Not to mention he wasn’t sure he could actually stand for that long at the moment.

 

Tobio slowly lowered himself back down onto the bed and stretched his body out. He winced when the bruise on his side pulled and instinctively curled up to try and limit the pain. What a pain in the…well, side. Tobio scrunched up his nose at the lame joke. No wonder no one thought he was funny.

 

He drifted in and out of sleep the rest of the morning but finally woke completely around noon. His headache had faded, for the most party anyway, and guilt was eating away at his stomach. After all of the work he had put in the past month to pass his exams, all of the help he had got from…people, and he was just skipping school?

 

Well, he could at least make it to a few lessons if he left now.

 

He pulled his uniform on and grabbed his school bag. He slung the strap over his shoulder and hissed in pain as it slid across the bruise on his side. With a scowl, Tobio shifted the bag slightly to try and lessen the ache before hurrying out of the house. Well, he tried to hurry. He was pretty sure he was moving slower than he usually did.

 

He walked up to the gates of Karasuno and stopped just short of entering the gates. Why was he doing this? He had missed most of the day. He would no doubt receive some sort of punishment for coming in late. He had no friends in the classroom. Well, at this point he wasn’t sure if he had any friends at the school at all.

 

The earlier guilt that had been gnawing at him disappeared. With a defiant scowl, Tobio turned around and began to walk away from the school. He only moved a few steps before he stopped. Where would he go? He didn’t want to go home. He would just end up spending the rest of the day in bed. But he also didn’t want to go into the school with the looks and questions he was sure to get. And he didn’t even have practice that afternoon. So, what was he going to do?

 

He slowly began to move forward once again. Maybe he didn’t need to have any sort of plan or distention. He could just walk. He was used to the physical activity – he would probably feel stir crazy later that night if he didn’t get it out of his system now.

 

So, he began wandering. He made his way down the street, past Ukai’s store (where he made sure the coach wasn’t looking as he walked past), past his own street and house. He just walked. He tried to ignore the pain on the right side of his body. Ignored that his headache was slowly returning. It was really the first time that he had time to actually think the past month. He had been so busy with studying and volleyball. So busy trying _not_ to think. He hadn’t even really thought about whether all of this was worth it.

 

He loved playing volleyball. He would never regret joining the team. Never regret learning the game. But…there was a reason he had started playing in the first place. He had started playing because his soulmates, the soulmates he wasn’t supposed to care about, had played. Had seemed to enjoy it. He had pushed himself to be the best because he wanted to go to Nationals. Because that was his chance to meet them. Because he just knew that they would go to Nationals.

 

Somewhere along the way that had become his dream as well. To play in Tokyo. To go to Nationals. He remembered having daydreams years ago that he would be at Nationals, be _winning_ at Nationals, and his soulmates would be watching him in awe. In complete amazement that Tobio was theirs to be with. He had been so focused that he hadn’t even realized that the dream would never happen. If he made it to Nationals, if his _team_ made it, then his soulmates wouldn’t. That would mean that they had lost. To Karasuno. If they lost, there was no way that they would be there cheering him on. Especially this year. It was their third year. It was Tobio’s first.

 

He would be destroying the dream that they had had for years.

 

They dream that they had transferred to him through their conversations over the years.

 

And one of them in particular would hold a grudge for the rest of his life. Maybe even both of them.

 

If his team made it to Nationals…it would guarantee that a relationship with his soulmates would never be possible.

 

But if his team lost…Daichi, Suga, and Asahi. Their dream of going to Nationals would disappear. Suga, who had helped Tobio get to the Nekoma game. Daichi, the best captain he had ever had. The gentle ace that was always so friendly to him, no matter how snappish Tobio became.

 

He couldn’t destroy their dream to fulfill his own.

 

But would he really be destroying his dream?

 

He wanted to go to Nationals.

 

He didn’t want to give that up.

 

Even if he didn’t make it to Nationals, even if his team lost, there was no assurance that anything would happen between him and his…between him and the third years from Aoba Johsai.

 

So, what was he going to focus on? Should he call Iwaizumi? Should he apologize to Oikawa?

 

Or should he focus on volleyball and his team?

 

The questions rang through his head and Tobio barely managed to stop himself from walking into someone standing on the sidewalk. “Sorry-“ he broke off as he looked up at the person he had almost crashed into.

 

Oikawa Tooru was staring down at him with narrowed eyes and a scowl.

 

Tobio stumbled back, trying to put distance between himself and the other boy without it looking as if he was running away. Which he was. “O-Oikawa-san, what are you doing here?” Tobio stuttered. How was this his luck? How was it that at the one moment Tobio was actually questioning what he wanted to do…one of the people he was thinking of appeared right in front of him.

 

Oikawa was still glaring as his hand moved to his hip. Those dark eyes scanned over Tobio and the younger boy suddenly had the urge to hide his discolored face. For the first time, Tobio actually wondered how Oikawa and Iwaizumi were feeling. If he hurt this badly-

 

“I’m watching my nephew,” Oikawa answered coldly.

 

“Hey!” Tobio glanced down in surprise at the greeting. He hadn’t even noticed the dark-haired boy standing next to Oikawa.

 

“H-hey,” Tobio stuttered. He was never good with children. Probably because he had never really been around any. “What about the club?” he blurted out the only thing he could think of. He didn’t want to apologize for the incident the last time they saw each other. He wasn’t _going_ to apologize.

 

“We usually have Monday’s off,” Oikawa responded.

 

_…what a waste of time…_

Tobio didn’t understand. Why would they take a day off? But it was something he could latch onto. Something he could say. Because he wasn’t going to apologize. “Y-you take a day off during the week? That’s such a waste!”

 

Maybe that wasn’t the best thing to say out loud.

 

Oikawa’s scowl darkened and he began to walk past Tobio. Tobio swallowed hard as the boy began to walk away from him. He couldn’t… he didn’t… he was not going to apologize. “Resting and skipping are two different things,” Oikawa muttered. Tobio winced. Did Oikawa somehow know that Tobio hadn’t been at school that day? “See ya.”

 

No! No, Tobio didn’t want him to leave! He didn’t…but he wasn’t…

 

Oh!

 

“Oikawa-san, um…” Oh, this wasn’t going to go well. But maybe, if he could talk to him a bit more, he could somehow…

 

“Nope! Stupid!”

 

…he wasn’t going to apologize!

 

“I haven’t even said anything yet!” Tobio protested as Oikawa continued to mock him. Again.

 

Why had he wanted to talk to him again?

 

“Oikawa-san-“ he wasn’t going to apologize….he wasn’t…

 

“Nope! I can’t hear you! Can’t hear a thing!”

 

Tobio fell into a deep bow and winced at the sharp flare of pain in his side at the action. Oikawa instantly fell silent. “Please listen to me for a second,” Tobio forced out calmly.

 

“Why should I have to listen to what my _opponent_ has to say?”

 

Something in Tobio’s chest ached. Opponent. Right. Because that’s all that he was. An opponent. Tobio heard the sound of Oikawa’s footsteps moving further away but he didn’t move. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep the tears from leaking. He knew they were there. He could feel his eyes burning. He wasn’t going to shame himself like that. But…he didn’t want him to leave.

 

Opponent.

 

“Please, Oikawa-san!” Tobio shouted.

 

He was still moving away. Tobio’s entire body was shaking in the effort to keep himself from sobbing. “Please! Please!” Still moving. Tobio moved too. He took off running and managed to move in front of a now shocked Oikawa. “Please!” he begged once again as he bowed down to hide his eyes. He didn’t even know what he was asking for. He just…didn’t want him to walk away. To leave him. Again.

 

“Takeru,” Oikawa said after a moment.

 

“What?”

 

“Take a picture.”

 

_…what?_

“Hold this like this…and press this button…”

 

Tobio didn’t understand himself. Why was he wanting to talk to someone like this? Someone that was going to take his picture in a position of...there was a sudden click and Tobio let out a sigh. Well, that was that. It wasn’t as if Oikawa hadn’t seen him in worse positions.

 

“Tooru, you’re actually happy about this picture? Lame,” came a childish voice and Tobio felt his lips twitch slightly. He might like Oikawa’s nephew.

 

“Well, what do you want?” Oikawa demanded. “I’m busy you know.”

 

“You said Iwaizumi was mad at you so you had free time!” Takeru disputed.

 

_Iwaizumi was mad at him? Why?_

“Takeru! Shut up!”

 

Tobio’s curiosity won over and he slowly stood. Oikawa was glaring at his nephew now, not even looking toward Tobio. He took that time to actually look toward the older boy. There were dark circles under his eyes. A bruise on his face – a bruise that mimicked the one on Tobio’s. He was standing in just a way that Tobio could see the slight purple tone on his neck.

 

Why was that gnawing feeling back?  


But he had got Oikawa to stop. To actually talk to him. What could he…he didn’t want to… especially with the pain the older boy had to be in because of him and Hinata…

 

Hinata.

 

That was it.

 

“So, uh, what if you were close to a tournament and, uh…” Oikawa’s eyes were on him. Tobio looked toward the ground instantly. He just knew the older boy would be able to see right through him if he looked at his eyes. “And Iwaizumi-san,” another pang of guilt, “said he was going to try some impossible attack…”

 

“Hey.”

 

Tobio glanced up instantly at the sudden interruption. Oikawa was giving him that look again. Tobio didn’t like it. “If you want to talk to me about something,” why did Tobio feel like there was more meaning to that word than what he was hearing? “Quit with the lame ‘what if’ story and just tell me flat out.”

 

_…I’m sorry._

But that isn’t what he said. “Hinata said he wants to hit our quick with his own will even though he had been closing his eyes this whole time.”

 

“Oh, really?” Oikawa asked wryly. “That’d be pretty impressive if he could do it. Why not let him?”

 

Anger surged in Tobio’s chest at the words. He couldn’t believe Oikawa was agreeing with Hinata! Especially after everything that had happened the night before! “Please don’t make it sound so easy! Hinata doesn’t have any technique!”

 

Oikawa stared at him in exasperation, “So you told him, ‘Just do I say’?” Tobio flinched. Well, he didn’t say it in so many words… “You sound like a dictator.”

 

 “ _Poor King. Are you happy with what you have accomplished?”_

_“Still doing the king thing?”_

“Have you put any thought into it?” Oikawa continued and Tobio had to force himself to listen to the boy in front of him, to the words he was speaking, and not to the same voice that was echoing throughout his head. “Are you giving the shrimp the exact tosses he wants? Have you even tried to?”

 

Tobio’s head lowered. Had he? He had sent Hinata the toss that he usually sent the boy even though he knew that he wouldn’t be able to hit it. He hadn’t tried to alter it at all. Did he need to? Is that what Hinata wanted?

 

“If you’re thinking the situation as good as it can be and you’re being defensive about it, you’re basically a coward.” _…a what now? Did Oikawa-san just call me a…coward?_ “Don’t get the wrong idea. The one who has leadership in an attack isn’t you…It’s Chibi-chan. If you can’t understand that, you’re just regressing back to playing the tyrant king.” Oikawa once again began to walk past Tobio. “Come on, Takeru.”

 

This time, Tobio didn’t try to stop him.

 

_“Regressing back to playing the tyrant king.”_

Was that what he was doing?

 

“Oi! Tobio-chan!” Tobio turned quickly. Oikawa had stopped and placed his hands on his hips once more. His lips were pursed. “I don’t know what happened to you but you better believe we’re going to be talking about it later. And don’t think you can get away with ignoring us like you did Iwa-chan last night. I’m not talking about it in front of little ears.”

 

Tobio’s mouth fell open in surprise as Oikawa once again turned away from him and moved down the street. He glanced down at Takeru who had yet to follow his uncle. The boy shrugged his shoulders. “He’s always been a little weird,” the boy muttered in explanation before running after his uncle.

 

Tobio continued to stand in the same spot until Oikawa, and his nephew, were completely out of sight. He was confused. He didn’t know what Hinata wanted. He wasn’t even sure he knew what Oikawa meant by his words. And he really had no idea what the boy had meant by him ignoring Iwaizumi-san. Well, unless…

 

Tobio slowly reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. He flipped it open and couldn’t help but stare in shock and dismay at the multitude of messages and missed calls. He had been so used to ignoring the older boy he hadn’t even thought to check it this morning.

 

He really didn’t want to check it now.

 

Oikawa said something about talking about it later. Maybe he should just wait until then.

 

He was sure Oikawa would tell Iwaizumi he was okay anyway.

 

No need to worry about it.

 

He snapped his phone closed and placed it back in his pocket.

 

_“Don’t get the wrong idea. The one who has leadership in an attack isn’t you…It’s Chibi-chan. If you can’t understand that, you’re just regressing back to playing the tyrant king.”_

He still didn’t know exactly what to do. He had Oikawa’s advice. He knew Suga had agreed with him the day before. But…he didn’t like fighting with Hinata. The other boy was his only friend. Maybe he should have tried a bit harder. Something that Hinata could have worked with a bit more. Maybe the gym was open. He could work on the toss, see if there was anything he could improve upon. Maybe…maybe something that would be easier for Hinata to hit. What that what Oikawa meant?

 

_“Don’t get the wrong idea. The one who has leadership in an attack isn’t you…It’s Chibi-chan. If you can’t understand that, you’re just regressing back to playing the tyrant king.”_

 

But he knew that Hinata couldn’t hit it. The boy had so many things to work on. So many things that needed to be improved. Why was he so focused on this one attack? He didn’t understand it.

 

_“Don’t get the wrong idea. The one who has leadership in an attack isn’t you…It’s Chibi-chan. If you can’t understand that, you’re just regressing back to playing the tyrant king.”_

 

A loud ringing broke him out of his thoughts. With a wary hand, Tobio pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Hell-“

 

“Kageyama! Where are you right now?!”

 

Was that… “Ukai-san?” Tobio questioned. Was there practice after all? “I’m heading to the school right now.”

 

“What?!” Tobio pulled the phone away from his ear at the loud shout. What was going on?

 

“I was gonna see if they were done with the inspection of the gym yet,” Tobio explained to his coach. He brightened. Maybe coach was calling to let him know that they were done and he could head there now?

 

“Kageyama!” Tobio turned sharply and flinched back when he saw his coach running toward him at full speed. For a moment, he was reminded of the night before. The redhead running at him. Tackling him. The bruise on his side. “Stop walking! Come with me!”

 

“What?” Tobio questioned. He braced himself as Coach slid to a stop in front of him and slammed his hands down on Tobio’s shoulders. The boy winced at the tight grip. “A toss that stops!” Ukai shouted.

 

“W-what?”

 

“A toss that stops!”

 

“I…I have no idea what that means.”

 

Ukai nodded frantically as he gripped Tobio’s arm and began pulling him down the street. “Come on! Let’s go to the store and I’ll explain.”

 

At a loss for words, Tobio allowed himself to be pulled down the street and into Ukai’s shop. The man quickly sank into a chair and motioned for Tobio to do the same across from him. Hesitantly, Tobio perched himself on the edge of the chair and stared at his coach. He wasn’t sure what was going on and he was a little worried. At least there were witnesses.

 

“I don’t understand, Coach. A toss that what?”

 

“A toss that stops. Do you know the basics of tempo? First tempo, second tempo?”

 

Tobio frowned for a moment. It was something he had heard before, years ago. He thought he remembered it enough to at least follow whatever Ukai wanted to say. “Uh, yeah.”

 

He watched as Ukai grabbed a dry erase board and lit a cigarette before he finally started to explain. “Well, I have the basic theory in my head but I was never able to apply it. I treated your quick attack as something special when I shouldn’t have and I almost forgot something very basic.”

 

“I think I understand the basics of tempo,” Tobio started hesitantly. He hoped he did, anyway. He had a feeling if he asked now he would look like an idiot. And he had already asked too much of Oikawa today. “But what do you mean by a toss that stops?”

 

Ukai uncapped a marker and began to draw on the board as he spoke. Tobio was thankful for it. Visuals were always easier to understand. “Listen. First, when you’re tossing for your weirdo quick, it’s a toss that passes through the spiker’s point of impact.”

 

“Right…”

 

“But you’re going to stop it right there at the point of impact!”

 

_He wants me to do what? Stop the ball where? How am I supposed to do that?_

“So basically,” Ukai continued. “You’re going to make the spiker’s highest point of impact the place you’re going to aim for.” Tobio pictured it in his mind. The ball going up, then down. Right at the impact point. He understood what Ukai wanted. But could he do it?

 

Was it even possible?

 

“You’re not going to use so much force,” Ukai explained, “that the ball passes through the spiker’s point of impact. You’ll use just enough force to get to the spiker’s point of impact and then…”

 

“Kill it,” Tobio finished in realization.

 

Ukai smirked, “The difficulty in controlling your power and how much backspin you put on it isn’t going to be like before. Not to mention B-quick, D-quick, and slide hits. The further out you get, the more difficult they’ll become. Can you do it?”

 

Could he?

 

_“Are you giving the shrimp the exact tosses he wants? Have you even tried to?”_

Could he afford not to try?

 

Tobio stood at the thought and grabbed his bag. “I’ll give it a try.” He bowed his head toward Ukai and quickly left the shop. A toss that stopped at the point of impact.

 

How was he going to accomplish that?

 

He needed to practice it. He needed a place to practice. They gym still wasn’t open. He didn’t want to wait until the next morning. He needed to try it now.

 

He _had_ to.

 

But the idea flew from his mind the moment he turned onto his street. Then he just wondered if he could run away fast enough that they wouldn’t be able to catch him.

 

“You know, I’m getting really tired of waiting on you, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa snapped. “I said that we would talk later! Where have you been?!”

 

“What the hell happened?” Iwaizumi demanded, stomping past a fuming Oikawa and coming to stop in front of Tobio. He scowled as his eyes flew over Tobio’s face. “Is that…finger marks?! What the hell, Kageyama?!”

 

Tobio hastily took a step away from the angry man. He warily eyed the clenched fists at Iwaizumi’s sides. “Back off, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa suddenly intervened, sliding in between the two. Tobio was surprised he could fit. “Tobio-chan, let’s get inside.”

 

“Trashykawa-“

 

“Let’s get inside first, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa snapped. Tobio moved quickly, not wanting to be beside them if the two began arguing. Didn’t Takeru say that Iwaizumi was upset with Oikawa? If he was already upset was there a chance that the two would start fighting?

 

“Go sit, Tobio,” Oikawa ordered as soon as the three boys moved into the house. Tobio did so, mostly because he wasn’t sure what else to do. These were the two boys that he had ignored for weeks. Two boys that he had kicked out two weeks ago. One of these boys he had deliberately hurt.

 

His soulmates.

 

“Can I ask what the hell is going on now?” Iwaizumi snapped as he stood by the door.

 

Oikawa rolled his eyes and made his way into the room. He perched on the chair opposite of Tobio and placed his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward to peer at the younger boy. “Calm down, Iwa-chan. I’m sure Tobio will explain why we both feel as if we got hit by a car at any moment.”

 

Tobio ducked his head at the words. “The only thing you care about is that you have a bruise on your face,” Iwaizumi growled as he began to pace around the room. “Don’t act like you-“

 

“We are not doing this again!” Oikawa hissed as his eyes finally left Tobio and slid toward the other third year. “You know that I-“

 

“I know that you didn’t even bother to-“

 

“Because I was well aware that-“

 

“Of course you were! You always think that you know-“

 

“We’re here now, aren’t we?!” Oikawa yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.

 

Tobio wanted to sink into the couch and disappear. He had no idea what was going on. No idea what they were talking about.

 

He was left out.

 

Again.

 

“Tobio-chan, if you would please just tell us what happened last night, we would be very thankful,” Oikawa finally said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. His voice was once again controlled and steady. A tone that he used when addressing people and things he didn’t know how to deal with.

 

And Tobio was one of those people.

 

“It’s nothing,” Tobio muttered.

 

“I disagree.”

 

“I don’t care if you agree or not,” Tobio snapped in a sudden surge of irritation.

 

Oikawa’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, look at that,” he purred as his eyes flashed. “Tobio-chan’s grown some claws.”

 

“Tooru I swear-“

 

“Let’s see,” Oikawa mused as he sat back, his arms coming up to cross over his chest. “The bruises on your throat are startlingly close to finger marks. A cut on your face, probably from a finger nail. The headache I had this morning and the bruise on the forehead make me think your head was hit with or by something. And I’m pretty sure you have a bruised rib,” he muttered as he shifted slightly in discomfort as he gripped his own side. “And then we add in your…awkward conversation this afternoon about Chibi-chan…” he sat forward once again, a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth. “Tobio-chan, did you get into a fight with Hinata about that new attack you were asking me about?”

 

Tobio could only stare at the older boy in shock. How could he have possibly figured that out? He struggled to respond, though he wasn’t sure what he was going to say. His throat was dry. How did Oikawa’s mind even work?

 

“You were hit by the redhead?!” Iwaizumi bellowed in surprise. “Because of volleyball? Is he insane?!”

 

“I seem to remember a best friend hitting a certain someone with a volleyball on a regular basis,” Oikawa chirped though the usual lilt was missing from his voice.

 

“I never actually _hit_ you-“

 

“It still hurt!”

 

“We aren’t _talking_ about you right now!” He turned his attention back to the still gaping Tobio. “That shrimp hit you?”

 

He didn’t want…he didn’t want Iwaizumi to be mad about… “I hit him too.”

 

“Oh! Well, that makes it better!”

 

“I’m guessing things didn’t go so well in Tokyo,” Oikawa cut Iwaizumi’s rant off, earning himself a glare. Tobio really, really didn’t want to know what had happened to make these two mad at each other. But he would really like whatever it is to be fixed. It felt…weird when they were like this.

 

He didn’t like it.

 

“We were the worst team there,” Tobio muttered, at least a bit happy to be back on the subject of volleyball and away from his falling out with Hinata.

 

“I’m sure you weren’t-“

 

“Not surprising considering the schools that were there,” Oikawa continued over Iwaizumi. Tobio carefully didn’t look at the third years. “I suppose that this…realization was the reason for the argument?”

 

Oh. Back to that.

 

He nodded his head and Oikawa let out a deep sigh. “Well, we’ve already talked about that. I hope you figured something out?” Tobio nodded again, remembering his and Ukai’s conversation. A toss that stops. “Good. Then you and Hinata need to talk things out and everything will be fine. However,” a dark look crossed the boys face. “If he hits you again, I’m afraid Iwa-chan and I will have to pay Chibi-chan a visit.”

 

“Oh, I’m part of this now, am I?”

 

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” Oikawa asked sweetly. He stood from the chair and stretched his arms over his head, causing his shirt to rise. That familiar guilt flooded Tobio’s body when he saw the dark purple bruise on the other boy’s right side.

 

His bruise.

 

“What I wanted was for you to come with me last night so we could-“  


“Considering I saw Tobio before you did, my plan seemed to work better than your own. As usual.” Oikawa’s hands were once again on his hips as he stared his best friend down. “Now, why don’t we get something to eat?”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today but I hope everyone enjoys it! Let me know, you guys know I love hearing from you!

The various dishes were placed on the table with a resounding crack that caused Tobio to flinch back in his chair. Iwaizumi had been scowling the entire time he and Oikawa had prepared the meal (both of them refused to let Tobio help – which was probably a good thing considering Tobio still had no idea how to cook) and Tobio wasn’t sure what to say to make the usually easy-going boy come back. His eyes flickered to the side but Oikawa didn’t seem worried. Oikawa caught his eye and the third year rolled his eyes skyward as he stuck out his tongue.

 

Well, okay then.

 

“Eat,” Iwaizumi ordered as he took the chair across from Tobio. The chair that Tobio had actually begun to think of as Iwaizumi’s. Tobio quickly shook his head to clear the thought away and began to slowly fill his plate.

 

"Itadakimasu,” Tobio and Oikawa chimed as they began to eat.

 

“Itadakimasu," Iwaizumi grumbled but he didn’t bother eating. His narrowed eyes were fixated on Tobio. Tobio felt the food in his mouth, the food he had been enjoying just a moment before, turn to ash. He swallowed quickly and reached for his water to try and clear the dryness from his throat. “It’s my turn to talk now.”

 

“Iwa-chan-“  


“No,” Iwaizumi growled furiously and the glare he tossed Oikawa’s way had the boy snapping his mouth shut instantly. Tobio took another drink. He wished he hadn’t run out of milk. The water didn’t seem to be helping. “You got to do your whole _thing_ over there. We’re not done and we are _all_ going to deal with this.”

 

_Deal with what?_

“First,” Iwaizumi snapped, answering Tobio’s unasked question as he motioned toward the bruises on Tobio’s face, “that is _not_ okay. I don’t care how pissed you and the shrimp are. Second, do you have any idea just how anxious-“

 

“Frantic,” Oikawa muttered.

 

“- _anxious_ I’ve been this week?” Iwaizumi continued as he scowled at an angelic looking Oikawa. “Yes, we argued. We all said things we didn’t mean-“

 

“I didn’t-“

 

“It is _my_ turn, Shittykawa!” Iwaizumi roared. Oikawa’s mouth snapped shut instantly and Tobio pressed his back against the chair firmly. Iwaizumi’s face was flushed and his eyes were flashing. Watching warily, Tobio saw the older boy forcibly close his eyes and take a deep breath. Those eyes slowly opened a moment later and once again fixed on Tobio. “From now on, answer your phone. Or write something down. Just let us know you’re still alive.” Tobio felt his face flush in shame. Yes, he probably should have at least acknowledged the messages he received. But…well, honestly, he hadn’t really thought either of them would care. “Will you agree with that?” Tobio quickly nodded and Iwaizumi let out yet another sigh but this one was less harsh. Just by glancing up, Tobio could see that Iwaizumi had relaxed a great deal. “Fine. You do it again and I’m camping out front until you talk.”

 

Tobio’s nose scrunched up in disgust. That would be…extremely uncomfortable.

 

“Now, things got a little out of hand the last time we were here.” Oikawa’s chair squeaked as the boy sat up quickly from his slouching position and furiously opened his mouth to respond. Iwaizumi’s hand flew up, stopping the boy from speaking. “Kageyama shouldn’t have thrown the bag,” the look Iwaizumi shot Tobio was enough to have the boy glancing down in shame yet again, “and Oikawa shouldn’t have said what he did.” Oikawa was graced with the same look but his lips just formed a pout as he looked away from the other third year. “This…thing we’ve been doing…isn’t working.”

 

_This thing…isn’t working…_

_Isn’t working…_

_Is he finally going to say it? That we’re better off pretending that the bond doesn’t exist? That’s what Oikawa-san wants. Did all of this manage to convince Iwaizumi-san?_

“Get that look off your face!” Tobio’s eyes flew open wide as Iwaizumi leaned over the table and pointed his chopsticks at him. “I don’t know what the hell is going on in that head of yours-“

 

“Does anyone?”

 

“-but stop it. I meant that the three of us need to work on this…thing…between us.”

 

“So eloquent.”

 

“Shittykawa, if you don’t stop-“

 

“Yes, yes,” Oikawa waved his hand in Iwaizumi’s direction but the usual smirk was missing from his face. He turned toward Tobio with calculating eyes. Tobio swallowed hard under the stare. “If I remember correctly, you and I had a discussion that we were going to try for Iwa-chan-“

 

“Oi! I shouldn’t be the reason-“

 

“-but I have to agree that it doesn’t seem to be working. So, I suppose we should listen to Iwa-chan for once.”

 

_Discussion? The only thing I remember is Oikawa-san telling me to stop keeping secrets. Which I’m still doing. Why do I feel guilty about that? It isn’t as if he needs to know anything._

“So, I suppose you had something in mind?” Oikawa asked, his voice growing slightly colder as he turned toward Iwaizumi. Tobio’s brows pulled into a frown. He still didn’t know what was going on with the two of them but he wanted it to stop. He felt a weird ache in his chest whenever they talked to each other like that.

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, “I thought you were the one with the plans that worked.”

 

“Well, if you _want_ me to come up with something-“

 

“I never want you to come up with anything.”

 

“You just said-“

 

“It’s called sarcasm! You think you would recognize it. It’s a second language to you-“

 

“Excuse you, it’s my first language-“

 

“You are such a-“

 

“Stop!” Tobio couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like the two of them being like this. Was this because of him? Because of something he did? If it was he didn’t want to be there anymore. If he was the cause of all of this…maybe they were better off without him. “Just stop! I don’t…why…stop,” he finally said lamely, not knowing what to say or how to get them to understand what he was feeling at the moment.

 

He blushed brightly as two sets of incredulous eyes snapped toward him. There was a moment of silence, which Tobio spent staring down at his plate, before Oikawa cleared his throat loudly. “Right. Okay. So…why don’t we plan on doing something of summer break? We can just take a step away from everything else and just…” he trailed off as he stared at Tobio. Tobio was grimacing. He wanted to spend time with the two of them. He really, really did. Maybe. Well, he longed to do so. To spend time with them without any fighting. But…

 

“We’re going back to Tokyo for a training camp,” Tobio muttered, leaning further away in his seat. He fully expected to hear all about how the other boy was making an effort and Tobio was destroying it all. But this was volleyball.

 

Instead of getting angry, Oikawa just nodded his head. “Alright. Well, how about this weekend? The three of us can do something that doesn’t involve trying to cram information into your head or watching crappy movies.”

 

“Oi! You picked half of those movies!”

 

“Sometimes crappy movies are fun! But not when you watch them all the time!” Oikawa returned and Tobio was relieved to see the slight smile on the boy’s face.

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes yet again but this time it seemed to be in some sort of fond exasperation instead of annoyance. “Fine, alright. What do you say, Kageyama? How about a date?”

 

Tobio coughed on the sip of water he just took. A date? As in holding hands, dinner, movies, and all of that? Wait…didn’t they do that anyway? Was it different because it was in public and not in his house? “Don’t kill him,” Oikawa hummed in amusement, “that would be a real shame considering we just decided to give this a real shot.”

 

Tobio sent a glare toward the setter but the boy’s smile only grew. “I…yeah, okay.”

 

Iwaizumi fully relaxed for the first time that night as he sent Tobio a smile. “Good. Oikawa and I will meet you here…around noon? We have morning practice…”

 

“Me too,” Tobio confirmed, his voice oddly quiet. Almost shy. He felt embarrassed to be talking about this. To be talking about going on a date with the two boys. One that was still smiling at him. The other…that was staring. Tobio had no idea what was going through Oikawa’s mind. Again. He wondered if he ever would.

 

“So,” Oikawa said loudly as he began to eat, “a training camp, huh? With the same group as before?”

 

Hesitantly, Tobio nodded. Talking about volleyball could go one of two ways. Either they could find a common ground or Oikawa would grow furious, which would result in fighting, which would result in the cancellation of the date that had just been planned.

 

But, honestly, Tobio didn’t know what else to talk about.

 

“Yeah,” he answered verbally. “The teams were…intense. We could learn a lot from them.”

 

Oikawa hummed as his eyes narrowed. No doubt he was replaying their last game in his mind. The game that had almost ended with Karasuno’s win. Tobio knew it was his team’s goal, _his_ goal, to defeat Aoba Johsai in the spring. From the look on Oikawa’s face, he had no doubt that the other boy knew that. “Well, I guess we’ll need to step up our own training, Iwa-chan.”

 

“Of course, we will.”

 

“Glad we’re in agreement,” Oikawa cheered with a small smile. He pointed toward Tobio, “Don’t think we’re going to go easy on you, Tobio-chan.”

 

“I wouldn’t want you to,” Tobio answered instantly, his earlier thoughts reentering his mind. About Nationals. About his soulmates dream to go. About his own. How only one of them could win. “But we’re going to win.”

 

The words slipped out before Tobio could think about it and he immediately covered his mouth in horror. His eyes flew from Oikawa to Iwaizumi in horror. He hadn’t meant to-

 

Laughter. Iwaizumi was laughing loudly. “Well, then I guess we really had step up our game, huh, Tooru?”

 

Oikawa’s smile had fallen but he didn’t look angry. Tobio actually thought he might have caught an amused gleam in the boy’s eyes. But he must be imagining it. There was no way he could be seeing that when he just told the other boy he would win against him in a match. No way. “I suppose so, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa’s eyes suddenly narrowed, “Wait! We have one more thing to talk about!”

 

“This can’t be good,” Iwaizumi snarked as the laughter faded.

 

“Oh, hush!” Oikawa scolded. “Tobio-chan! Where were you? I told you that we would be here and we still had to wait!”  


Tobio frowned. No, that was in no way how that conversation had gone. “No,” he disagreed slowly, the event replaying in his mind. “You said we would talk later. You never said when.”

 

“But you were supposed to go home and wait for us!”

 

“Why would he do that, Whittaya?” Iwaizumi asked as he shook his head.

 

“Because I said-“

 

“Coach Ukai called me on the way home,” Tobio cut in before the two could start arguing again. He speculated if this was something they did more than he had first assumed. Maybe it wasn’t all his fault after all. “He wanted to talk to me about a new attack strategy.”

 

Iwaizumi let out a groan and Oikawa sat forward in his chair to peer at Tobio. “Do tell.”

 

Tobio sent the other boy a disbelieving look and Oikawa shrugged his shoulders and sat back with a small laugh, “It was worth a try.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I have another chapter here... hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also, I started writing a new story today and I'm pretty excited about it. I would really appreciate it if you guys checked it out! It's called The Two Princes.

Tobio made sure that he stopped by and apologized to Tanaka the next morning. He needed to apologize to the other boy for the trouble he caused with Hinata a couple of days before. Tanaka merely laughed when Tobio bowed and said the words. He told Tobio he was sorry for hitting him and Hinata so hard. Tobio winced at the reminder. He was really glad he hadn’t mentioned that fact to Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They were both irritated enough at Hinata. They let it go with him but, considering that Tanaka was his upperclassman and had tried to threaten them both before…well, he didn’t want to know what the two would do to retaliate.

 

The school day passed quickly and Tobio ran toward the clubroom as soon as they were let out of the classroom. He had only skipped practice for a day but he felt like he had been wasting time that he desperately needed. He changed quickly and moved toward the gym before anyone else even stepped in the room. He set everything up and was joined by the teammates not long after. They were getting ready to start their game when Ukai called Hinata toward him. “When we’re playing practice games, Hinata, you’ll be on B team for a while.” Said team turned in surprise at the words and Tobio kept his face carefully blank when Daichi and Asahi turned to him curiously. “Sugawara, I’m counting on you.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Tobio hurried toward his own team and stared straight in front of him as Hinata moved past him. He didn’t look at the redhead. He wasn’t sure what to say or what to do. Should he apologize? He still didn’t really think he was wrong. On top of that, he also didn’t want to let the boy know what he was planning on working on. The toss he talked about with Ukai. He didn’t want to get Hinata’s hopes up if he wasn’t able to pull it off.

 

They played a practice game, with Team A winning, and then stood around Ukai as he made an announcement. “I know each of you have things that you’re wanting to work on,” Ukai said as his eyes landed on Tobio. “So, I think we’ll be doing individual practice until the training camp. Come and talk to me about what you want to work on.”

 

Tobio moved away from the group instantly. He walked to one side of the court and wheeled the ball cart to one side. “Yachi!” he barked, feeling slightly bad when the girl in question jumped and stared at him with panicked eyes. “Can you throw for me?” he asked, letting his voice soften slightly toward the girl. Yachi nodded once with a determined gleam in her eye and moved toward Tobio. The boy noticed that Asahi had also moved toward the other side of the court with the other ball cart. Daichi and Suga come to stand next to one another and were speaking and gesturing toward the court. Yamaguchi was talking to Ukai, as was Hinata and Noya. Tobio felt bad for the coach as the three tried to speak over one another and Ukai looked particularly harassed. Tsukishima was nowhere to be seen. He had most likely run off after coach said “individual practice”.

 

“Ready?” Yachi asked from behind him.

 

Tobio nodded and waited for the girl to throw the ball. He tired to imagine what he needed to do to make the ball stop. As soon as the ball left his hand Tobio knew it wasn’t any good. It sailed straight through, as it usually did. It didn’t even pause. He scowled and turned toward Yachi. “Another.”  


He wasn’t sure how long he worked on the toss, with Yachi throwing the balls toward him over and over again, but all too soon Ukai came up to them and told him to stop for the night and continue the next day. Tobio scowled at the words and clenched his teeth. He didn’t want to stop. He needed to keep trying. But he wasn’t going to disobey his coach and risk being banned from the gym so he merely nodded his head. He looked around the gym and he realized the rest of the team had left and Yachi was looking exhausted. He began to clean the gym, Yachi and Ukai both helping him after they realized what he was doing. They finished quickly and Tobio hurried to the clubroom to grab his things. He locked up and put the key away before starting off home. Yachi fell in beside him at the school gate. Tobio sent her an awkward smile. He was thankful for the girl to stay so late helping him. Yachi was…nice…he guessed. But he had never been good at small talk and the two walked down the street in silence. He opened his mouth, thinking he should both thank her and apologize for keeping her so late, but before he could do so, he saw a figure walking toward them. He squinted a bit as the person hurried toward them and Tobio felt himself sigh in relief. “You two were practicing late,” Yamaguchi said with a small blush as he came up beside them.

 

“Kageyama-kun is trying a new toss. We were practicing,” Yachi explained to the other first year. “It wasn’t as if we were just…I mean, we were with other people! We weren’t alone! We…”

 

“I know,” Yamaguchi said. His face was now a bright red as he smiled at the frantic girl. Tobio just shook his head and motioned toward Yamaguchi that he was going to go. Yamaguchi nodded toward him as he started speaking to Yachi.

 

Tobio slowly made his way home and almost sighed in disappointment when he saw that no one was waiting for him. He knew they wouldn’t be, they had both said that they would see him on Saturday, but Tobio had still hoped…he shook the thought out of his head. Maybe he had grown spoiled with the two of them being there the previous night.

 

He moved into the dark house and into the kitchen. It was really silent. It was always silent. Why was that just now bothering him? He hadn’t had lunch that day, well besides his milk, and he was pretty hungry after the day he had had. He grabbed some noodles from the pantry and moved to heat them up. The noodles were halfway done when his phone chimed. Tobio frowned as he pulled it from his bag. It chimed once again and Tobio flipped the phone open.

 

** Group Chat **

****

** Oikawa: well, lets give this a shot. How was your day, Tobio-chan? **

****

** Iwaizumi: I don’t know if I should be proud of you or smack you for being condescending. **

****

** Oikawa: ooh, big word for Iwa-chan. :P  **

****

** Kageyama: Fine. I started practicing that new attack. I can’t get it. **

****

Tobio was surprised that neither of them responded by the time his food was done heating up. Was that all that they wanted? Was that their way of making sure he was alive? He sighed and grabbed his food. He looked at the kitchen table for a moment but shook his head before sitting. There was no reason to sit there when he was by himself. With another sigh, Tobio moved toward his room and placed the food on his desk. He turned on his laptop and pulled up volleyball videos. Specifically, he pulled up videos of Oikawa. He was still studying that serve. He settled in and began to eat quickly as his eyes stayed locked on the video. After he got the toss down, he was going back to working on his serve. He still had a lot of work to do if he ever wanted his serve to compare to Oikawa’s.

 

He had just clicked on the newest videos when his phone suddenly chimed multiple times. He practically pounced on his phone and paused the video.

 

** Group chat **

****

** Oikawa: Let me get this straight **

****

** Oikawa: the genius setter **

****

** Oikawa: Kageyama Tobio **

****

** Oikawa: is having a trouble with volleyball **

****

Tobio frowned down at the phone. What was that supposed to mean? Of course, he had trouble with volleyball. Did Oikawa know just how many times his tosses had hit him in the head? Or how many times he had fallen when he was trying to learn a jump serve?

 

** Kageyama: yes? it always takes time for a new move **

****

** Iwaizumi: …I think you broke Tooru **

****

** Kageyama: huh? **

****

** Iwaizumi: don’t worry about it. **

****

Tobio shrugged his shoulders at the words and turned his focus back onto his computer. He didn’t understand but that was fine. Someone would explain it eventually. Hopefully.

 

The next night, Tobio was once again standing on the court and attempting the new toss. He had brought a water bottle with him and had placed it on the floor. He hoped that it would help him picture where to aim the ball. But he just couldn’t get it. He was starting to wonder if the toss he was attempting was even possible.

 

It was the same night after night. No matter how hard he worked, how much he tried, he just couldn’t do it. By the time Saturday came around, Tobio felt like he was wound tight enough to snap. He had never faced something like this before. A toss that he couldn’t do.

****

 He made sure that he wouldn’t practice past ten thirty. That gave him enough time to clean things up and head home to take a shower and get ready. Whatever nervousness he felt about his later plans had dissipated as the day wore on and he became more fixated on the toss.  Yachi was waiting for him with a small smile. She threw the ball to him over and over again and didn’t complain when Tobio grew to be more and more irritated.

 

The alarm on the phone sounded and Tobio felt his heart begin to pound as all of his earlier nervousness flooded his system once again. The volleyball in his hand dropped and the people around the court looked at him in surprise. After a few moments of the alarm echoing throughout the room, Suga moved toward Tobio’s items and turned the alarm off. “Kageyama-kun?” Suga asked softly. “Do you need to go?”

 

Tobio nodded woodenly. The other boys in the room exchanged a look as Tobio didn’t move. “Kageyama? Are you okay?” Yachi asked next. Tobio turned his eyes onto the girl. She was looking at him uncertainly with shaking hands.

 

“Fine,” he replied, his voice sounding an awful lot like Hinata’s right before a game. “I’m fine. We need to clean up now.”

 

Yachi’s eyes were wide and she turned toward Suga and the rest of the team with wide eyes. “Uh, okay. I’ll help you-“

 

“No,” Tobio shook his head emphatically and began to pick up the volleyballs, “its fine. I’ll do it.”

 

Those words seemed to have everyone worried. Daichi ducked under the net and approached Tobio cautiously. “Kageyama? Is everything okay?”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Yeah? You know, you’re leaving a bit early today. Do you have something to do?” Daichi asked carefully as his eyes scanned over Tobio’s face.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Okay,” Daichi looked helplessly toward Suga and the other boy was quick to move closer.

 

“What has you so excited, Kageyama-kun?” Suga asked with a soft smile. Tobio stared at him incomprehensively. Excited? Was that what he was? He didn’t think that was what this was. He was excited before a game. Excited when he learned a new type of toss.

  
This wasn’t excitement.

 

What was this?

 

“I…have a date.”

 

There was a muffled shout from the other side of the net and Yachi let out a loud squeak. Tobio followed the noise and saw Noya was staring at him with wide eyes as Asahi had a hand over the libero’s mouth. “A date, Kageyama-kun?” Suga asked, his smile growing just a bit bigger and his eyes slightly manic. Tobio suddenly remembered why everyone was slightly afraid of their vice captain. “Do a couple of third years from Aoba Johsai happen to be involved?”

 

Tobio looked away hastily and began to clean up. There was more muffled yelling. He didn’t look. He knew that Daichi and Suga were aware that Oikawa and Iwaizumi were his soulmates. And Hinata knew. But he had never told the other boys and some of the less perceptive, such as Noya, were probably shocked by the revelation. “Why don’t you go on home?” Daichi said with a small smile as he took the volleyball that Tobio had been clutching.

 

Suga giggled at the dumbfounded look on Tobio’s face and he reached forward and gently placed his hands on Tobio’s shoulders. “Go home, Kageyama. Take a shower. Get dressed. And wait for your boys. They are certainly worth waiting for.” He sent a wink at Tobio who immediately ducked his head and blushed brightly.

 

“Suga!” Daichi yelped.

 

“What? I’m not blind!”

 

Daichi groaned and buried his face in his hands as his ears turned red. “Give me strength,” he muttered. “Kageyama, have a good weekend. Have fun. We’ll see you on Monday.”

 

Somehow his captain and vice captain managed to steer him out of the door. Tobio didn’t even realize it until he was standing outside and the door was being closed behind him. He turned, confused, and then hurried away quickly when he heard the tell-tale muffled yelling from their libero. That was one conversation that Tobio didn’t want to have.

 

Since he ended up leaving earlier than he had thought, he was also ready earlier. He paced back and forth in the family room as he waited for the clock to hit noon. He bit his lip as the minute hand slowly moved. Ten minutes. He had ten minutes. In ten minutes, he would be on his first date. A date with Iwaizumi. And Oikawa. A date with his soulmates.

 

His stomach churned.

 

Maybe he was sick.

 

If he was sick he shouldn’t go. He didn’t want them to catch anything, after all.

 

Yes, maybe he should cancel.

 

But they were due to be here any minute. Wouldn’t it be rude for him to cancel when they already travelled all the way out here?

 

So, he shouldn’t cancel. But maybe they should stay in instead. They could order food. And…watch a movie.

 

_“…watching crappy movies.”_

Or maybe not.

 

Well, he could get Oikawa to pick a _good_ movie. That would make it better, right?

 

The doorbell rang and Tobio froze. They were here.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The actual "date" part of our story! Hope everyone enjoys!

Tobio was frozen where he stood, staring hard at the door. The doorbell rang once again and Tobio took a deep, shaky breath before moving forward and pulling the door open. Oikawa and Iwaizumi were both standing there. Iwaizumi’s usual frown creased into a smile when Tobio pulled the door open and Oikawa looked at him with a pout. “What took so long?” the boy demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest.

 

Tobio felt himself flush. “I was…just…” he trailed off helplessly, unable to come up with a good excuse for what he had been doing.

 

Oikawa’s lips twitched at Tobio’s stuttering and Iwaizumi sighed in his direction. “Are you ready to go?” he asked Tobio. Tobio nodded quickly and slid into his shoes before stepping outside and closing the door. He looked up hesitantly at the two boys standing there. He wasn’t sure if he should say something or if he should just start walking. Had they decided what they were doing today? Was Tobio supposed to decide? Maybe they _should_ just stay in and watch those movies…

 

“We thought we’d start by getting some food,” Iwaizumi told him with a small smile as he slipped his hand into Tobio’s. Tobio stared down at his hand. Right. They could do that. And get food. They needed to eat. Food was good.

 

“Are you okay, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa asked as he stepped in front of the boy and peered down at his face. Tobio nodded quickly and kept his gaze averted. “Oh-kay,” Oikawa said as he shot a disbelieving look toward Iwaizumi. “Well, then. I’m hungry! Practice felt so looong! I mean, I loved it! But still…so very long!”

 

Iwaizumi sent a teasing look Oikawa’s way as the two began to walk down the street. Tobio stumbled behind them, his hand being pulled by Iwaizumi. “You were just looking forward to something else happening today. Practice lasted just as long as it usually did.”

 

Oikawa huffed loudly but he grinned back at the other boy. “No idea what you’re talking about, Iwa-chan!” he looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes when he saw Tobio’s shuffling footsteps. He paused momentarily, until Tobio had stepped up beside him, and then linked his arm with the younger boys. Tobio’s eyes practically flew out of his head at the sudden touch. His head snapped to the side and his eyes jerked up. Oikawa smirked at him teasingly. “Come on now, Tobio-chan! We’re going to have fun today!”

 

Why did that make Tobio feel even more nervous?

 

Iwaizumi was looking at them both fondly as they walked the two steps to come up beside him. His hand tightened around Tobio’s as they started to walk once more. “So, what do you want to eat?”

 

“Something light,” Oikawa said quickly. “We don’t want to be too full for the next activity!”

 

That really didn’t make Tobio feel any better. “And…what is the activity?” he questioned cautiously.

 

“Not for you to worry about, Tobio-chan! It’ll be fun though!”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed and he turned toward the other third year imploringly. Iwaizumi just shrugged his shoulders. “It’s best not to ruin his fun,” the other third year informed him as he rolled his eyes. “He’ll be all pouty if we try to figure it out.”

 

“I’m not pouty!”

 

“Anyone that’s met you knows that’s not true,” the words were out before Tobio contemplated them. Iwaizumi let out a startled bark of laughter and tightened his hold on Tobio’s hand.

  
“Rude, Tobio-chan!”  


Tobio was worried that his slip would result in Oikawa getting upset with him but the older boy just stuck his tongue out at him before he joined Iwaizumi in laughter. Tobio stared at him in surprise. When had he seen the other boy look this carefree when he knew Tobio was around? He was pretty sure the answer was never.

 

“Do you just want to grab something quick on the way there?” Iwaizumi asked, continuing the previous conversation as his laughter died down. “Or are we wanting to do the whole sit-down thing?”

 

“Let’s just grab something,” Oikawa answered with a bounce in his step. “I want to get there early! Less people are there early!”

 

Tobio had no idea where they were going but he had to admit it was kind of…cute to see Oikawa so excited. Iwaizumi just nodded and the three boys soon had meat buns in their hands as they continued to the train. The train wasn’t too crowded and the three boys were able to find seats beside each other. Tobio was led to the middle seat with Oikawa on his right and Iwaizumi on the left. “How far are we going?” Iwaizumi asked softly as the train started moving.

 

“Four stops,” Oikawa responded with a smile. He looked at Tobio and rolled his eyes. “Stop looking so worried, Tobio-chan! We’re going to have fun!”

 

“Whatever you say, Oikawa-san.”

 

“That’s the spirit!”

 

Tobio looked at Oikawa incredulously. He knew that Tobio wasn’t being truthful, right? When Oikawa continued to look at him seriously, he turned his head toward Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi had his hand in front of his mouth and was silently shaking with laughter. “Sorry, sorry!” Iwaizumi apologized. “He’s just messing with you, Kageyama. Don’t be so serious.”

 

Tobio turned back toward Oikawa in irritation. Oikawa just winked at him and reached down to link his and Tobio’s hands together. Tobio’s throat instantly went dry as their hands met. “Oh, listen to Iwa-chan! We’re supposed to have fun today! Turn that frown upside down!”  


Yeah, there was absolutely no way that he was going to be doing _that_! He knew his smile was…not pleasant. He would never forget the looks of horror on his teams’ faces when he smiled at them for the first time. Hinata had even backed away from him.  There was no way he was going to show that terrible smile to these two.

 

Instead, he tried to make his face relax into a more open expression. That counted, right? He heard more laughter the expression instantly disappeared. “Oh, Tobio-chan! Don’t worry about it!”

 

“Crappykawa,” Iwaizumi muttered from beside Tobio.

 

“Yes, yes, fine,” Oikawa responded. Wow, he really was in a good mood. “get ready now. It’s almost our station.”

 

The three boys stood and exited quickly as the train came to a stop. Oikawa practically jogged down the street. Tobio felt his lips twitch in amusement and he saw Iwaizumi had that fond look on his face yet again. “I guess we better go before he gets too far away,” the older boy chuckled.

 

Tobio didn’t bother to respond. He took off into a jog and was easily able to catch up with Oikawa. Iwaizumi was beside them only seconds later. “So, Tobio-chan, how is that attack coming?”

 

The light feeling in Tobio’s chest plummeted. He couldn’t stop the scowl that crossed his face as he replayed the various failures through his head. “Horribly,” he growled.

 

Oikawa looked surprised, “That bad, eh? You could always ask me for advice again. I liked it when you did that.”  


Iwaizumi sighed and reached over lightly hit the back of Oikawa’s head. “Such a crappy guy.”

 

“Stop calling me that!”

 

“I don’t think it’s possible,” Tobio admitted, ignoring the bickering. They both turned to him in surprise. “The attack. Coach Ukai came up with it. He wanted me to try. I just… I’ve spent all week trying to get it. I’ve stayed after practice every single night. No matter how I do it….I just don’t think it’s possible.”

 

He barely noticed that the two had stopped walking. Tobio turned around, confused as to why he was suddenly alone, and saw both Iwaizumi and Oikawa watching him calculatingly. Had he said something wrong? “What?”

 

The two boys exchanged a glance. “Tobio-chan, just how often do you stay after practice?” Oikawa asked carefully.

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed. “Eh? I don’t know? I used to get there early with Hinata and he and I would practice after the team left each night…but now...I stay late. To work on the new…” he trailed off at the darkening look on Iwaizumi’s face and the wince Oikawa was giving him.

 

“Kageyama,” Iwaizumi growled as he took a step toward him. “You can’t do that. Do you hear me? Doesn’t your coach or captain tell you to go home?”

 

Why was Iwaizumi suddenly so angry? “Yes? I mean, they do. But they are okay with me staying after to work on things-“

 

“Oh, are they now?”

 

“Tobio-chan,” Oikawa cut in, his voice completely serious for the first time that day. “You can’t stay after all the time.”

 

Now Tobio was confused. “I always stayed after in junior high. I stayed with you-“

 

“Don’t think it’s okay because I did it!” Oikawa yelled, his hands clenching at his sides. Tobio stumbled back in surprise. “Do you have any idea what I’ve done to myself? My knee is shot, Tobio! I have this year, maybe college, maybe! I’ll never be able to make it past that! You can’t just-“

 

“Oikawa, stop it!” Iwaizumi said loudly when he saw the completely petrified look on Tobio’s face. He placed a hand on Oikawa’s back and Tobio watched as Oikawa’s face scrunched up in a twisted grimace before he buried his face in his hands. Iwaizumi rubbed his back gently as Oikawa’s shoulders began to shake. Iwaizumi sighed and looked at Tobio. “Sorry. It’s a… touchy subject.”

 

Tobio was terrified. Oikawa was crying – it wasn’t as if he had never seen Oikawa Tooru cry, but he was pretty sure that making someone cry on your date was a bad thing. And it seemed like he had upset Iwaizumi as well. He just…he didn’t understand what he had done wrong. On top of that, he kept thinking about Oikawa’s words. Oikawa was the best setter Tobio had ever seen. To think that he was only planning on playing volleyball a few more years…

 

The thought was devastating.

 

All Tobio could do was stand there and watch as Iwaizumi spoke to Oikawa in a low tone. It was incredibly awkward and Tobio just knew he was intruding on something. He thought about walking away and leaving the two in peace but every time he began to step away, Iwaizumi’s head would shoot up and he would send him a hard stare that would make Tobio freeze where he stood. Then it would grow to be unbearable once more and the entire process would start all over.

 

It seemed like years had passed when Oikawa finally took a deep breath and dropped his hand. He stood up straight and blinked his eyes frantically to try and clear the tears that were clinging to his eyelashes. His light brown eyes landed on Tobio and he sent him a small, wavering smile. “Sorry, Tobio-chan. Just…promise us you’ll be careful, alright? And Iwa-chan has me on a schedule. I can only stay after practice twice a week and only for two hours. You should do it too. Okay?”

 

Was that okay? Only two days a week? Two hours? That was cut down on is practice time drastically. But…the looks the two of them were sending him. Like they were worried and determined at the same time. He wondered what they would do if he disagreed? “I…can try?”

 

Iwaizumi looked exasperated with the answer but Oikawa gave him that watery smile once more. “I understand. Now,” he clapped his hands loudly. “I promised you fun! Let’s just put this out of our minds for now.”

 

“Agreed,” Iwaizumi grumbled, “no more volleyball talk.” His eyes shifted from Oikawa to Tobio and back again. “From either of you.”

 

“Fine,” Oikawa said softly with a scowl. His eyes lit up a second later. He grabbed Iwaizumi by the arm and started to run, snagging Tobio’s arm with his other hand as they ran past. He laughed as Iwaizumi cursed at him. Tobio stumbled at first but quickly caught himself and ran beside the other boy. They came to a stop a few minutes later in front of a building. Oikawa smiled broadly as he gestured toward it. “Tada!”

 

Tobio blinked. Zao Fox Village. He had heard of it – Hinata had gone in junior high and he talked about the entire team going one weekend. “Fox Village?” Iwaizumi asked in surprise. “How did you come up with this?”

 

Oikawa shrugged and began to walk quickly to the front office. “I was looking for something fun that we hadn’t done before. I thought it would good to make new memories with Tobio-chan. Makki said he likes to come here.”

 

Who was Makki? It didn’t matter, he guessed, as Oikawa led them into the office and paid the entrance fee. Iwaizumi protested and said he could pay his own fee and Tobio tried to hand some yen over to the boy but Oikawa ignored them both with a smile. The woman behind the counter explained that they should not touch the foxes when they were inside and they needed to keep an eye on their belongings so the foxes don’t mistake them for food. However, you could feed the foxes in the designated areas if you bought some of the food they provided. Oikawa agreed happily and bought a bag of the food, saying that they could all share it.

 

“This place is huge,” Iwaizumi said as they entered the gate.

 

“Look how cute!” Oikawa said a bit too loudly. The foxes around them scampered off.

 

Tobio looked around in amazement. They were everywhere. Some were curled up into little balls, fast asleep. Others would come up toward him curiously and sniff at his clothes. He backed away slowly, remembering that he wasn’t supposed to touch, and the fox that had been near him instantly backed away. “Let’s go, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa called softly. He linked their arms together once again and then linked his other arm with Iwaizumi’s and began to pull the two boys through the park. “Ooh, look at that one!” he said in a soft whisper as a gray fox curled up on top of another. The two together formed a little ball.

 

“So cute!” he smiled brightly and then continued to pull the two through the forest.

 

When they reached the top of the forest, there was a feeding station that Oikawa practically ran to. Tobio hurried after him and Iwaizumi chuckled as he followed the two. They walked inside the wooden building and stood at the ledge. “Look at them all!” Oikawa hissed as the two boys came up to stand beside him. “Look!”

 

“We see them, Tooru,” Iwaizumi replied softly as he peered down.

 

Tobio was fascinated. There were so many just sitting there, looking up at them longingly. “Give me the food,” he said to Oikawa. The older boy quickly opened the bag and Tobio took some of the food. He tossed a piece over the ledge and watched as they jumped forward in an effort to find it. Oikawa laughed happily and he tossed another piece over the ledge. Iwaizumi reached over next and grabbed a piece, making Oikawa giggle and say something about the sensitive Iwa-chan. Tobio’s lips turned up slightly as they tossed more food.

 

After the bag was empty, the three boys slowly moved back toward the gates. They were almost there when Tobio saw two of the foxes playing and he had to stop. He reached out on instinct to grab the nearest person, so they wouldn’t leave him, and tangled their fingers together. The person immediately fell to a stop. “Look!” Tobio hissed, not moving his eyes from the two.

 

“Oh!” The person gasped.

 

“What are you two looking at?” Iwaizumi called as he walked over to them. He followed their gaze and chuckled. “You two are suckers for soft, fluffy things.”

 

“I’m not even going to argue that,” Oikawa responded. He squeezed Tobio’s hand softly. “Ready to go, Tobio-chan?”

 

No. He would actually be happy to stay there for a few more hours but he supposed that they should be leaving. His stomach had begun growling about an hour before and he had no idea what the two were planning on doing next. The reluctance must have been noticed because Iwaizumi chuckled once again and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “We’ll walk slow.”

 

Tobio felt himself blush as they slowly strolled through the park until they reached the gates. He looked over his shoulder one last time and then allowed Iwaizumi to lead him away. “We’ll come back, Tobio-chan! We can make a day of it!” Oikawa said as began the walk back toward the station. He checked the watch on his wrist before grimacing. “Sorry. My sister has to work tonight and my parents aren’t able to watch Takeru. I promised I would be home in time for her to leave.”

 

Tobio forced the disappointment from his face. Oh. He had thought they would spend more time together. “Where are your parents going?” Iwaizumi asked curiously.

 

“Some conference or something,” Oikawa replied, waving his hand as if the item was of no importance. “They left his morning and will return Monday.” He looked at the two of them for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Tobio-chan, do you want to come? Iwa-chan practically lives at my house-“

 

“I do not!”

 

“-and Takeru keeps asking me about the weird kid we ran into the other day,” he winked and Tobio could feel the heat radiating from his face. “If Iwa-chan will lift his volleyball ban,” he sent a grin toward the boy in question, “we always end up helping Takeru practice anyway.”

 

Tobio hesitated for a moment. Did he want to go to Oikawa’s house? It would mean spending more time with Oikawa and Iwaizumi. And, beyond the incident they had earlier, it had been a good day. He had enjoyed himself. But…did he want to tempt fate? And Oikawa’s nephew was already referring to him as the “weird kid”. Did he want to spend more time around these two and risk them realizing the same thing?

 

He steeled himself and decided to just go with what felt right. “Sure.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter here. Sorry!
> 
> I'm going to shamelessly plug my new story here - The Two Princes. If you haven't checked it out, please do! :) And on to the story!

Tobio shuffled his feet the closer they got to Oikawa’s house. He wasn’t sure if this was such a great idea. At least Oikawa’s parents and sister weren’t home. But…he felt like he was testing his luck. It had been a good day. A great day, even. Was he so sure he wanted to give himself more of a chance to mess it all up?

 

“We can order pizza,” Iwaizumi was saying to Oikawa when Tobio tuned back into the conversation. “You know how much Takeru enjoys it. You don’t have to cook anything.”

 

Oikawa huffed and moved to cross his arms over his chest, taking Tobio’s arm with him as their hands were still connected. “This is supposed to be a date! It’s bad enough you two have to help me babysit my demon of a nephew. The least I could do is make you something!”

 

“Please don’t,” Iwaizumi begged, ignoring the wounded howl Oikawa made at the words. “It would be a horrible end to the night if one of us ended up in the hospital.”

 

Tobio bit his lip to keep from laughing as Oikawa continued to whine. “Come on, Iwa-chan! I make you food all the time! And I’ve made things for Tobio-chan before, too! Neither of you got sick!”

 

“You throw things in the microwave, Shittykawa. You don’t cook. Ever. I’m not willing to risk it and I don’t feel like it tonight. We’re ordering pizza.”

 

“Fine!”

 

“Glad you see sense.”

 

The chuckle broke free from Tobio at the offended look that crossed Oikawa’s face. Oikawa froze at the sound and Iwaizumi stopped just in front of the two boys. Both turned to Tobio with their mouths open in surprise. Tobio instantly let go of Oikawa’s hand and covered his mouth to block the sound from escaping. Oikawa and Iwaizumi shared a look before they both lunged. Oikawa pried Tobio’s hands away from his mouth while Iwaizumi began to tickle him mercilessly. Tobio let out a bark of laughter and tried to pull away from the two boys. “Stop!” He gasped out as tears began to stream down his face.

 

“Fine, fine,” Iwaizumi chuckled as his hands pulled away. Oikawa let out a loud sound of disappointment before letting Tobio’s arms go. Tobio gasped for air and backed away from the two boys, just in case they tried to come after him again. “Oh, don’t look at us like that,” Iwaizumi said, holding his hands up to appear nonthreatening.

 

“You just sounded so cute, Tobio-chan! We needed to hear that sound again!” Oikawa said with a grin and a shrug. He obviously wasn’t sorry.

 

Tobio wasn’t sure how to reply. Did he even need to? But… “Don’t do it again.”

 

“Yes, yes,” Oikawa waved his hand airily, “we won’t do it again, will we Iwa-chan?”

 

“…I’m not going to lie to him. Shittykawa.”

 

Oikawa giggled and wrapped his arm around Tobio’s shoulders. “Come on, Tobio-chan! If I’m not there before my sister needs to leave she’ll be unbearable!”

 

“Oi! Don’t talk about Akarai-san like that!” Iwaizumi snapped as he reached over Tobio and lightly smacked Oikawa in the head. “The only reason she’d be upset is because you’re always running late. Be on time for once.”

 

“I’m always on time!”

 

“You’re such a liar.”

 

“I’m ignoring you!” Oikawa sang out as he led Tobio away from Iwaizumi. “You’re always so mean to me! I’ll just stick with Tobio-chan from now on.”

 

“We’ll see how long that will last,” Iwaizumi mused. He shot a grin Tobio’s way. “This guy has never been able to keep his silence for more than a couple of hours. It would be a welcome break if he did.”

 

“Iwa-chan!”

 

“Didn’t even last a full minute,” Iwaizumi mourned.

 

Tobio’s lips twitched once more but he made sure he didn’t laugh. He didn’t want them to tickle him again, after all. “Whatever,” Oikawa sulked. “Meanie, Iwa-chan.”

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Such a crybaby.”

 

The three boys walked in silence for some time before they stopped in front of a nice, western style home. “Come on in, Tobio-chan.”

 

Tobio hesitantly yet curiously followed Iwaizumi and Oikawa into the front foyer. He slipped his shoes off and placed them beside the other two boys before following them into a wide front room. A woman was sitting there on the sofa. She had the same hair color as Oikawa, though hers was longer and fell in waves down her shoulders. He eyes also matched his. It was very odd, seeing Oikawa’s features reflected in such a feminine person. “Tooru! You’re actually on time!”

 

“I’m not always later!” Oikawa protested loudly as Iwaizumi began to laugh beside him

 

The woman smiled at Iwaizumi. “Of course you are,” she told Oikawa. Those light brown eyes flickered over Oikawa’s shoulder and her smiled widened slightly when she saw Tobio standing there. “Oh? Who’s this?” Oikawa moved to block her but she merely pushed him aside, causing the bigger boy to stumble into Iwaizumi who managed to steady him. She stepped in front of Tobio, who threw a panicked looked to the other two boys who merely stared back at him in resignation. “Oh, just look at those eyes! Gorgeous! And such nice hair! Who is this? Who are you?”

 

“Kageyama Tobio.”

 

“Eh?” A new voice popped in. Tobio looked over his shoulder. Oikawa’s nephew, Takeru, was standing there. “It’s the weird kid that Tooru made bow to him.”

 

“Tooru did what?!”

 

“It was a joke!”

 

“Wait,” she turned away from her still protesting brother and faced Tobio once more. “Tobio? As in Tobio-chan?”

 

“Wait, this is the kid Tooru is always whining about?” Takeru questioned with a frown as he looked at Tobio in a new light. “What’s wrong with him?”

 

Well, what was he supposed to say to _that_? “Nothing is wrong with him,” Iwaizumi cut in, moving around Takeru and Oikawa’s sister. “Kageyama is our soulmate. Tooru is just being his usual self.”

 

“Iwa-chan!”

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

A pout crossed Oikawa’s lips. “So mean!”  


“Soulmate?” The sister, hadn’t Iwaizumi called her Akarai-san?, questioned. There was a line between her brows. “Tooru, you have a multi bond? Why didn’t you say anything?”

 

Oikawa looked away from his sisters prying eyes. “We recently found out,” Iwaizumi cut in. Tobio wondered how many times Iwaizumi saved Oikawa from his sister’s wrath. “We’re still in the getting to know you stage.”

 

“Haven’t you guys known each other for years?” Takeru questioned in disbelief.

 

“A different type of getting to know someone,” Akarai-san said knowingly. She sent a wink at Tobio and he took a startled step back. What exactly was she implying? They weren’t…they hadn’t even discussed…

 

“You’re so embarrassing!” Oikawa snapped as he stepped in front of Tobio. “Shouldn’t you be going? You don’t want to be _late_ after all.”

 

“I’m going. Takeru, I’ll be back late so listen to your uncle…” she trailed off before scrunching her nose up. “Better yet, listen to Hajime, alright?”

 

“Hey!”

 

“He’s a much better choice than Tooru.”  


“Takeru!”  


“Alright, I’m off.” Akarai-san waved at Tobio as she disappeared out the door. Tobio hesitantly waved back. What an odd relationship. Or maybe it was normal and he just didn’t know.

 

“Takeru, pizza sound good?” Iwaizumi asked as the door closed.

 

“Yeah!”  
  
“I thought we decided not to do that!”

 

“Where did you get that idea?”

 

“I want pizza!” Takeru huffed at his uncle.

 

“Fine!” Oikawa threw his hands up in the air. “Order your pizza!”

 

Iwaizumi just shook his head as Oikawa continued to mutter things about clogging arteries and that they were supposed to be athletes and needed healthy food. Tobio just stood there awkwardly. “So, you’re the genius setter, right?” Takeru asked, suddenly appearing in Tobio’s sightline.

 

 

“I’m a setter,” Tobio confirmed, not willing to go any further into it than that. He remembered the toss he had been working on the entire week. The one that he couldn’t do. The one that he was beginning to think was impossible.  Or maybe it was possible but not for him. That meant he wasn’t a genius like everyone claimed, right?

 

“Cool! I’m a wing spiker, like Hajime-san. Can you toss to me? There’s a net set up out back!”

 

“Uh…” Tobio turned his head slightly to see Oikawa and Iwaizumi still arguing over the pizza. They hadn’t even noticed the interaction. But hadn’t Oikawa said that he would probably end up playing? “Sure?”

 

Takeru smiled brightly and gasped Tobio’s wrist to pull him through the house. “Shoes!” Tobio said quickly. “I need shoes!”

 

“I’ll get them!” Takeru yelled out as they came to a sudden halt. He dropped Tobio’s wrist and ran back the way they came, returning only a few seconds later with Tobio’s shoes in hand. “Come on!”

 

They proceeded to the back yard where there was indeed a volleyball net set up. Tobio stared at it in amazement. It would be nice to have something like that around his home. Somewhere he could practice when he didn’t want to go to the school. Especially at night when he had trouble sleeping. He could just go out and work on his tosses until he was tired. His brows furrowed as he thought of his own small yard. There was no way something like this could fit.

 

And if his mother showed up she would be furious to see a volleyball net there. She’d probably force him to take it down, anyway.

 

Tobio watched as Takeru lowered the net slightly so it fit the regulations for his team. It was a move that Tobio could tell he had done many, many times. Enough times that it was obvious the net got moved back frequently. Which meant Oikawa practiced out here. Did that mean he found a way around the restrictions that Iwaizumi had placed on him? But…why would he want Tobio to follow the same boundaries if he didn’t bother?

 

“Alright! I’m ready!” Takeru said as he backed away from the net. “I’ll throw the ball at you and you can toss it to me, okay?”

 

Tobio nodded determinedly and Takeru threw him the ball. Tobio stood under it and mentally calculated what the best toss would be for the young boy. Something slow, slower than he gave anyone on his team. The boy was tall so it didn’t need to be too low… he tossed and watched as Takeru ran up and jumped, smacking the ball firmly. Tobio’s lips pulled up as the ball flew over the net. “Yay! Again!” Takeru yelled with his hands pumped in the air.

 

So, they did it again. And again. And again. He wasn’t even sure how long he had been tossing to the young boy when Oikawa seemed to materialize on the other side of the net, blocking the spike with a smirk. “Tooru!” Takeru yelled out in a rage.

 

“You know people are going to be blocking you, Take-chan. Don’t get so angry.” Oikawa’s eyes turned toward Tobio. “A little faster, Tobio-chan. Don’t make it easy for him. He needs to learn.”

 

Takeru pouted but Tobio nodded in confirmation. The next toss as a bit faster and the younger boy scrambled to hit it. “Again!” Oikawa commanded as his nephew complained.

 

It took a few more “again!”’s before Oikawa was satisfied. “You know, Takeru, this might be an opportunity to work on a quick attack,” Iwaizumi commented. He had been lounging in a chair a little bit away.

 

Takeru turned to him with wide eyes. “Really?”

 

Iwaizumi’s lips pulled into a smile as he nodded. “Throw the ball to Kageyama and start running. He’ll get the ball to you.”

 

Takeru smiled in excitement and began to bounce on his toes. Tobio began to imagine the boy as another Hinata. A Hinata that looked like Oikawa.

 

He shuddered.

 

Takeru threw the ball and began running toward the net. Tobio tossed it right in his path, much like he did for Hinata but at a slower pace. Takeru’s hand swung down and the ball went flying over the net. Oikawa didn’t even attempt to block it. He just stood there, his hands on his hips, as Takeru began to cheer. “Yes!” Iwaizumi yelled out.

 

Tobio didn’t bother to celebrate. Something about Oikawa…the look he had…

 

It unnerved him.

 

“Good going, Take-chan. But remember that most setters won’t be able to do that. That was a genius toss-“

 

“Oi! Oikawa!”

 

“-and there’s only one genius setter that I know of,” Oikawa continued, ignoring that Iwaizumi had stood from his chair. He took a deep breath and plastered a fake smile on his face. “The pizza should be here at any time. What do you say we go inside and wait for it?” he strode away before anyone could respond, leaving Iwaizumi and Tobio to stare at each other in bewilderment.

 

Takeru didn’t seem to think it odd. “He’s irritating,” the young boy told the two of them bluntly, placing his hands on his hips and arching an eyebrow in a way that looked like eerily like Oikawa. Iwaizumi snorted loudly and Tobio had to wonder if the third year was thinking the same thing he was. “Mom says he’s a jealous brat and he needs to act his age.”

 

Iwaizumi let out a bark of laughter and Tobio hid a smile behind his hand. “You probably shouldn’t say that where he can hear you, Takeru.”

 

The boy rolled his eyes. “Of course not. I don’t want to hear him whine any more than he usually does.”

 

Iwaizumi buried his face in his hands as another helpless laugh escaped from his lips. “Alright, go clean up. Tooru’s right that the pizza should be here soon.” Takeru nodded his head and moved into the house, complying with Iwaizumi’s words. As soon as the door closed behind him, Iwaizumi and Tobio’s eyes met and they both began to laugh. Tobio hadn’t felt so light in…well, ever. It was extremely amusing to hear Takeru talk about his uncle. Especially since he seemed to be a miniature version of him.

 

“Why do you do that?”

 

Tobio’s chuckles began to fade and he looked up at Iwaizumi with tears of laughter in his eyes. “What?” he asked in confusion.

 

“You always hide your smile behind your hand.”

 

Tobio’s hand dropped at the words -and so did his smile. He looked away uncomfortably. “Uh, I just…”

 

“Are you two coming to eat or not?” Oikawa demanded as he opened the door and stared at them with unimpressed eyes.

 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re coming,” Iwaizumi called back, taking a few steps toward the now open door. He motioned for Tobio to follow him. Tobio did so hesitantly. He wasn’t sure why Oikawa seemed to have…closed off suddenly and he wasn’t too sure that he was welcome at the moment. Maybe it would be better for him to just go back home.

 

He stepped into the house and slipped his shoes off, noticing the open pizza box on the table. Takeru was already eating a slice while Iwaizumi and Oikawa were speaking in low voices off to the side of the kitchen. Takeru glanced at him as he stepped up beside the table. “Tooru’s being stupid again.”

 

“Takeru!” Oikawa snapped, marching forward furiously. “You little brat-“

 

“Don’t call me that! I’ll tell mom!”

 

“Your mom can-“

 

“I really don’t think you should finish that sentence, Trashykawa,” Iwaizumi said in amusement. “She’d tear you apart.”

 

Oikawa’s eyes flashed but he seemed to pause just a moment before he snapped his mouth close. “Alright. Stupid sisters. Stupid nephew. Mean Iwa-chan,” Oikawa muttered as he grabbed a slice of pizza and placed it on a plate.

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Movie?” He asked. Takeru cheered loudly and ran toward the television in the main room of the house. Oikawa yelled after him to be careful and not get food everywhere. “Come on, you two. Kageyama, get some food.”

 

Kageyama grabbed some food and followed Iwaizumi, who was carrying the pizza box, and Oikawa grabbed a few sodas. Iwaizumi plopped himself down on the middle seat of the sofa, Oikawa sitting to his right. Tobio slowly sat on Iwaizumi’s left when both of the boys stared at him expectantly. Takeru was on the floor, happily munching away. “Cars!” Takeru yelled out.

 

Oikawa groaned. “Again?”

 

The boy sent his uncle a glare. A glare that had Tobio choking on his bite of pizza.

  
The two really did look alike.

 

“Let it go, Trashykawa. How many times have I had to watch ET?”

 

“Ooh, that’s an idea. What about ET, Takeru?”

 

“No way!”

 

The movie began to play, much to Oikawa’s annoyance, and Tobio watched it with interest. He had never really watched any of these movies before. His mother had never liked the…childish movies, as she called them and they didn’t have a television in the house. Truthfully, the only movies he had really watched were the ‘crappy’ ones he watched with the other two boys over the past few months and the couple he went to see with Kunimi and Kindaichi back when they were still talking to him.

 

And he became engrossed in it. It was just so…odd.

 

He didn’t even notice when he curled up against Iwaizumi’s chest. Didn’t notice when Iwaizumi’s arm wrapped around his shoulders. When Oikawa mimicked his position on the other side and the two boys’ heads were close together. Didn’t notice that with their free hands, he and Oikawa had twined their fingers together and had them resting on Iwaizumi’s stomach.

 

Well, he didn’t notice until the movie ended.

 

“Wow, I’m going to bed before this gets gross,” Takeru commented as the closing credits played and he looked over at the three of them.

 

“Clean up first!” Oikawa muttered sleepily. He didn’t bother to move from his position and Tobio’s face flushed.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

 

“Takeru…”

 

“I’ll help,” Iwaizumi said lowly. He moved his arms and gently moved both Oikawa and Kageyama off of him. Oikawa growled in protest and Tobio had to bite back a similar sound. Iwaizumi paused after he stood and looked down at the two of them fondly. “You two look exhausted.”

 

Oikawa nodded his head and reached over to grab Tobio’s arm. “Come here, Tobio-chan. Iwa-chan’s mean and left us. We can snuggle without him.” Oikawa stretched out on the couch and pulled Tobio down beside him, wrapping his arms around his waist. Tobio’s mouth went dry as his head rested on the other boy’s collar bone.

 

“Take a nap. I’ll help Takeru and put him to bed and then I’ll walk Kageyama home.”

 

Oikawa hummed in agreement and pulled Tobio closer. Tobio swallowed hard and fisted Oikawa’s shirt in his hands. His heart was pounding. He hadn’t…he hadn’t imagined Oikawa wanting to be this close to him. Not without Iwaizumi there as a buffer. “Sleep, Tobio-chan. Iwa-chan will wake us soon.”

 

Tobio closed his eyes and relaxed fully against the older boy. Right. As long as this was something that was happening, he was going to take advantage of it.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on updating a new chapter today but...well, I got a review that upset me earlier this morning and one of my readers took the time to find the review and stand up for me and my work. So, InsomniacFox, this chapter is a thank you. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> One last thing - this work is currently locked to users only. I might open in back up later on.

Tobio was still working on that damn toss. No matter how long he stayed after practice, he just didn’t seem to be able to get it. Not that he was staying after as long as he usually did. Oikawa and Iwaizumi had made him promise that he would message them when he was leaving each night and Tobio didn’t feel comfortable lying to them. So…he ended up staying only an hour after each night and sending the two boys a message on the way home. He wasn’t the only one staying late. Most of his teammates were staying after practice as well.

 

It was almost a week after his date when it finally happened. Tobio was practicing yet again, this time Takeda was throwing for him, when he tossed the ball. His eyes went wide when it left his fingers. It felt different. It felt…he watched as it paused for a moment midair and fell, knocking over the water bottle he had in place. Takeda began to cheer and Tobio stared down at it in surprise before excitement flooded him. “All right!” he yelled, pumping his fists up in the air in celebration.  He hurried over and reset the bottle. “Next, please!”

 

“You got it!”

 

They continued to practice and Tobio’s smile threatened to break his face as he began to make the toss one out of three times. He still had a long way to go but he now knew he could do it. It _was_ possible. He just needed to keep trying until he could do it each and every time.

 

Lucky for him, it was almost time for the training camp.

 

He left that night feeling euphoric. Without really thinking about it, Tobio pulled out his phone to send his now usual message.

 

** Group Chat **

****

** Kageyama: Heading home **

****

** Kageyama: I did it! **

****

** Iwaizumi: …did Kageyama just use an exclamation point? **

****

** Oikawa: He did! He must be really excited! **

****

** Oikawa: Congratulations, Tobio-chan! I know you’ve been working hard! **

****

** Oikawa: Care to tell me what exactly it was you’ve been working on? **

****

** Kageyama: No chance **

****

** Iwaizumi: Give it up, Tooru **

****

** Oikawa: :P I’ll figure it out eventually **

****

Tobio chuckled to himself as he made his way home. Tomorrow was the last day of school before summer break and they would be leaving the day after for the training camp. He was meeting the two the next day, the first time this week, and he couldn’t help but be slightly anxious about it.

 

Things had been…a bit awkward after they had woken up tangled together on the couch last week. Oikawa had been all forced smiles and barely made any comments. Iwaizumi had walked Tobio home shortly after that with a small wave from Oikawa being his only goodbye. But ever since, Oikawa had been messaging him and he seemed to be fine. Yet he was afraid that it was all just some sort of act.

 

He went home to an empty house, as usual, and completed his usual night routine. He went to sleep early as he planned on waking up early in the morning to get in some extra practice. They weren’t going to have an afternoon practice the following day as they were going to be at the camp. He managed to get to the gym an hour before the rest of the team – well, everyone except Daichi.

 

“I figured you’d want the extra time,” his captain said with a tired smile as he unlocked the gym. “I’m surprised Hinata isn’t here as well.”

 

Tobio kept his face blank. He and Hinata hadn’t really spoken since their fight two weeks ago. The boy hadn’t been coming early or staying late. Half the time he wasn’t coming to the gym after school at all, Ukai saying he was practicing somewhere else. Tobio wanted to ask where but he couldn’t seem to get the words out of his mouth. “Well, let’s set everything up,” Daichi said with a small smile as they stepped inside.

 

Tobio nodded in confirmation and the two worked together in silence. Tobio set up his water bottles after everything else was set and looked at his captain hesitantly. “I – would you mind, captain?”

 

 

“Sure,” Daichi replied easily, taking his position beside the ball basket. “What is it exactly you’ve been working on? Coach said something about a new type of toss?”

 

“A toss that stops,” Tobio informed his captain, his lips twitching up when he saw the confused frown on the older boy’s face. “It was something Coach Ukai thought up. A toss that falls. It would…pause mid-air for just a moment. It would give Hinata –“

 

“A chance to aim the ball,” Daichi said with wide eyes. “But can you do it? A toss like that?”

 

“I couldn’t,” Tobio shrugged, “but it’s now a one in three shot. With some more practice…”

 

Daichi grabbed a ball and gave him a determined smile. “Well then, let’s practice.” He threw the ball to Tobio and the boy took a deep breath before he tossed it. It was off. He didn’t even watch as if fell. He knew it wasn’t good enough.

 

“Again.”

 

The first time he succeeded, Tobio yelled out happily and turned toward his captain. Daichi was staring at the bouncing ball in amazement. “That…was amazing, Kageyama.”

 

Tobio felt his face flush at the compliment. “Thanks,” he muttered. “Again?”

 

They continued to practice until the other boys arrived. They then separated into their usual teams and had a quick practice match. A match that team A won, though barely. Without Hinata on their side and their freak quick, the lead they had in the past had narrowed considerably. “Good game!” they all called as the game ended.

 

“Will you be using the gym tonight, Kageyama-kun? I can lend you the key as long as you promise to lock up,” Daichi asked as the boys changed into their school uniforms.

 

“Not tonight,” Tobio muttered as he avoided everyone’s gaze. The room fell silent for a moment as the boys processed the response and then there was an explosion of noise.

 

“You aren’t going to stay after?!”

 

“Are you sick?”

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“Wait, wait! Do you have another date?!”

 

Tobio’s face burned as every eye once again turned to him. He ducked his head down and quickly grabbed his bag. “Class,” he muttered. He began to walk toward the door but two bodies were suddenly blocking his way.

 

_Damn._

“Was I right?” Noya asked, his intense eyes boring into Tobio’s own.

 

“A date? With the pretty boy?” Tanaka growled from behind Noya. “Where? When? You can’t be alone with them! I wouldn’t have let you go last week if I had been there!”

 

Suga rolled his eyes and slapped Tanaka in the side of the head. “Down boy. Kageyama can meet whoever he wants and I seriously doubt Oikawa would do anything to hurt him. And don’t forget that Iwaizumi-san will most likely be there as well. Right, Kageyama-kun?”

 

Tobio nodded. _I seriously doubt Oikawa would do anything to hurt him._ Tobio knew how much his team disliked Oikawa. To have his vice-captain and fellow setter say that…to show that he trusted Tobio’s…relationship…with Oikawa….

 

It felt nice.

 

“The King will be fine,” Tsukishima commented as he pushed past the two second years. “He’s known those two longer than he’s known any of us. And he can take care of himself.”

 

Tobio blinked as the other first year pulled the clubroom door open and disappeared, Yamaguchi following him quickly. He shot Tobio a quick thumbs up before he was out of sight. “Alright you two,” Ennoshita said as he came up behind Noya and Tanaka, grabbing both of their collars. “If you’re late again today you’ll both end up having to stay after. Get to class.”

 

Both Noya and Tanaka groaned but made their own way toward the door. “Fine. But if anything happens you let us know!” Tanaka yelled. “We’ll take care of it!”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Out!” Daichi commanded, finally having enough. The two saluted with a laugh before pushing each other out the door. Daichi sighed yet again and placed his own bag on his shoulder. “Have a good night, Kageyama. Remember that we’re leaving early in the morning so don’t stay out too late.”

 

“And Dadchi makes his appearance,” Suga giggled, earning himself a glare from the boy in question.

 

“You get out too.”

 

Suga laughed louder. “Good luck tonight, Kageyama-kun!” he called as he walked out the door.

 

Kageyama’s face was bright red at that point and he escaped from the clubroom quickly before anyone else could make any type of comments. He ignored the questioning stare from Hinata as he did so.

 

The day passed by slowly. Every single person was ready for it to just be over so they could go on summer break. Tobio kept staring at the clock. He would look away and focus on the front of the room for what felt like hours, only to look at the clock once more and realize not even a minute had passed.

 

_This day feels like it’s taking forever!_

 

The words appeared on Tobio’s left hand. Tobio looked down at it in surprise. They boys had all been messaging so much that Tobio hadn’t really thought about how they hadn’t been communicating in this way.

 

**Shouldn’t you be paying attention?**

_Why? It’s just a review day anyway._

**Well, some of us are busy.**

_Tobio-chan! Aren’t you bored???_

Tobio stared at the question. Oikawa wanted an answer to him? He was actually asking? Tobio shakily lifted his pen and, for the first time, wrote a message to his soulmates.

 

**_I keep looking at the clock._ **

****

_That means Tobio-chan agrees with me!_

**Both of you should be focusing on other things.**

The writing stopped and Tobio went back to staring at the clock until the day finally ended and Tobio could finally leave. He hurried away from the building, not even looking at the gym as he walked out the gates. Oikawa and Iwaizumi were both planning on coming to his house straight after they school but he had a bit of time before they got there. He decided to spend the spare time watching volleyball videos yet again. In particular, Oikawa’s videos. If he had any extra time during the training camp, maybe he could finally work on that serve. It just depended on how things went with Hinata and the new toss.

 

He was a bit terrified that he had been spending all that time practicing for nothing.

 

He went to the feed and clicked on the next video in the link. This one seemed to be a few years old. Oikawa still had the form a bit wobbly and the speed was slower than Tobio was used to. But…he could see the makings of the serve.

 

He was so involved in the video’s he literally jumped out of his chair when a pounding sound echoed throughout the house. He looked at the time and cursed as he hurried down the hall to the front door. “What were you doing? We’ve been knocking forever!” Oikawa whined as Tobio pulled the door open.

 

“Sorry,” Tobio muttered. “I was watching something. Didn’t hear you.”

 

“Hey, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi greeted. He walked in and squeezed Tobio’s shoulder. “What time do you have to be there tomorrow?”

 

“Three a.m..”

 

“Yikes,” Oikawa scrunched up his nose in distaste. “We’ll have to let Tobio-chan get some sleep. Don’t want you falling asleep when you’re supposed to be setting for your team. I guess I have to trust Karasuno to represent Miyagi to those Tokyo teams.”

 

Tobio nodded his head. He wasn’t sure what to say. The thought of Oikawa trusting Karasuno, trusting _Tobio_ , to represent their prefecture… it was an strange thought.

 

“We doing more crappy movies?” Iwaizumi asked, sending a smirk Oikawa’s way.

 

Oikawa rolled his eyes, “if you’re choosing, probably so.”

 

“Oi!”  


“Why don’t we let Tobio-chan choose? We won’t see him for a week, after all.” Oikawa grabbed Tobio’s arm and began to pull him down the hall. Iwaizumi chuckled at the startled look Tobio threw him and followed the two boys down the hall. Oikawa bounced into Tobio’s room and walked over to his desk to grab the laptop, then froze suddenly, causing Tobio to stumble into him.

 

Tobio turned his arm and grasped onto Oikawa to keep himself from falling and glared up at the older boy. The boy who was staring at something with a gob smacked expression. “Tobio-chan… _what_ is _that_?!”

 

Following his gaze, Tobio frantically tried to pull his arm from Oikawa’s grip so he could get to his laptop and slam it shut. But Oikawa kept a tight hold on him. “Iwa-chan! The laptop!”

 

“What the hell is going on?” Iwaizumi wondered as he strode past the two. He came to a stop in front of the desk and paused momentarily before turning back to face them. His lips were twitching as his eyes met Tobio’s. “Kageyama…were you watching videos of Oikawa?”

 

“I…”  


Oikawa turned his body just enough that he was able to push Tobio backwards and get to Iwaizumi’s side. Tobio’s face flushed red as he attempted to grab the laptop once again. Oikawa stepped in his way and quickly pressed the back tab, which showed Tobio’s feed. “Tobio-chan…how many of these have you watched?” Oikawa gasped as he scrolled through the feed.

 

“I just-“

 

“Wanted to watch videos of my serve,” Oikawa cut in as he continued to scroll.

 

“Well, he always wanted to learn,” Iwaizumi commented, the amusement ringing through his voice.

 

Oikawa straightened and Tobio felt a moment of panic. Oikawa had never liked it when Tobio asked him about the serve. He had never liked it when Tobio attempted the serve. Would he be mad? Were they going to end the night with an argument? “Pick a movie, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa finally said, closing the tabs on the computer. Tobio’s eyes went wide. He wasn’t…going to say anything?

 

“Yes,” he murmured in embarrassment.

 

He bent over the desk and pulled up Netflix while the other two boys made themselves comfortable on his bed. He hesitated before joining them. He handed Iwaizumi the computer and crawled to sit beside the third year. “Hey, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa said as the three snuggled against one another. Tobio turned his head so he could look at Oikawa who was on the other side of Iwaizumi. “If you truly want to learn my serve…I’ll teach you. _After_ the Spring Tournament.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, what an overwhelming response from the last chapter! Thank you all so much for supporting this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Tobio was exhausted. Despite the fact that Oikawa and Iwaizumi had decided to leave early the night before, Tobio had managed to convince them both to stay and watch another movie. They had both protested but Tobio was pretty sure they hadn’t really wanted to leave as neither of them had put up much of a fight. Which was fine with Tobio- he hadn’t wanted them to leave either. After Oikawa’s promise to teach him the serve…Tobio just felt…better. About everything. He enjoyed the two of them being there. He didn’t want them to leave. In the end, they ended up leaving Tobio’s house only a few hours before Tobio had to be at the school to get on the bus. It didn’t matter. He would just sleep on the bus as they drove to Tokyo.

 

“Taking off in the middle of the night is exciting!” Tobio winced at Hinata’s loud tone in the dark and silent parking lot. Why was he so loud this early in the morning?

 

“Well, you guys were late last time,” Tanaka said, his voice softer than Tobio had ever heard. Maybe the second year was tired as well.

 

“Being an idiot must be nice,” Tsukishima muttered as he walked toward the group tiredly. “You can even sleep on a bus.” Tobio turned to scowl at the blond. What was that supposed to mean? The blond just raised an eyebrow in response. Tobio huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, only realizing the move was distinctly an Oikawa type of thing to do after he did it. Tsukishima’s lips twitched. “Been spending a lot of time around the Great King? I’m surprised your other soulmate is able to fit into the room with both your egos.”

 

Tobio growled and stepped forward to confront the blond but he stopped as Takeda stepped up in front of the bus with a yawning Ukai beside him. “We’ll be arriving early in the morning once again. Ukai-kun and I will take turns driving.”

 

_…Ukai-kun?..._

“Sorry if I nod off,” Coach said with closed eyes, not seeming even slightly disturbed by the name.

 

 

“Thank you!” The team chorused as they bowed.

 

“It’s the middle of the night, so not so loud!” Takeda hushed frantically. Tobio rolled his eyes and made to stand when he saw the writing on his hand.

_Good luck today, Tobio-chan!_

Tobio blinked down at the words with a frown. Why was Oikawa awake? He had left Tobio’s house late last night, just in time to catch the last train, and he wouldn’t have been able to get any good amount of sleep if he was awake now.

 

Had he even gone to sleep?

 

A scowl crossed his face at the thought and Tobio instantly began to dig through his bag. He was sure he had a pen in there somewhere. “Everything okay, Kageyama-kun?”

 

Tobio glanced up in surprise and looked around the parking lot. The empty parking lot. Oh. “Fine,” he muttered to Suga as he let his bag drop to his side once more and he walked toward the bus. Suga followed him closely and Tobio paused right before steeping on the bus. “Suga-san?” Suga made an inquiring sound and Tobio bowed his head. “Do you have a pen I can borrow?”

 

Suga looked faintly surprised but he nodded his head quickly. “Sure! Hold on one moment…” he reached into his own bag and hummed in triumph as he pulled out a pen and handed it toward the younger boy. “Here you go! We better get on the bus before Daichi comes after us,” Suga winked and Tobio flushed as he hurried onto the bus. He bit the inside of his lip when he stepped into the aisle. Daichi was in the first seat, the one beside him open. There was no way Tobio was going to sit there – he was pretty sure Suga would actually drag him out of the seat if he tried. Or sit on him. Tobio wasn’t sure which option was worse.

 

There were only a few other seats open. One was beside Noya. That might be worse than sitting in Suga’s seat. Then there was Hinata.

 

Of course, there was.

 

Tobio plopped himself down beside the redhead and made sure to keep his eyes forward as he put his bag at his feet. He shifted in his seat so his back was toward the redhead and rested his head against the seat. He really was exhausted. Most of the boys had their eyes closed and seemed to be trying to sleep. Feeling a bit more secure knowing that none of the boys would be watching him, Tobio uncapped the pen.

 

**_Why are you awake_ **

****

_Tobio-chan! Are you on the bus yet?_

**_We’re leaving now. You didn’t answer my question._ **

****

_It’s summer break, Tobio-chan! I’ll sleep later!_

**_Oikawa-san. Iwaizumi-san said you were going to have volleyball training today. You can’t sleep later._ **

****

_…Have a good day, Tobio-chan!_

Tobio scowled and watched as half of the conversation disappeared from his arm. Oikawa was washing it off…most likely so Iwaizumi wouldn’t see it. Too bad he couldn’t wash off Tobio’s section. Iwaizumi would still see them and he would confront Oikawa about it. So Tobio didn’t have to worry about it.

 

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat. It was going to be a long day and he needed all of the sleep he could get.

 

Tobio jerked awake as someone prodded him in the side. “We’re here,” Hinata said shortly, climbing over Tobio and bounding off of the bus. Tobio blinked sleepily after him, just now realizing that the other boys were standing and making their way off of the bus. He yawned and stood, tossing his own bag over his shoulder. He stumbled off of the bus just in time to see Daichi talking to Nekoma’s captain – Kuroo. Apparently, the other boy was going to show them around. He walked over the group and stood a little way away from Tsukishima. The blond glanced at him from the corner of his eye but didn’t say anything about Tobio being there.

 

Tobio saw Hinata standing a bit away from the rest of them, talking to Nekoma’s setter. “Oh!” he yelled loudly enough that Tobio could hear him from where he stood. “Is that Tokyo Tower?” he asked, pointing toward a tower in the distance. Tobio followed the finger. Oh. Was that the thing everyone talked about?

 

“That’s…just a normal transmission tower,” the setter replied, his voice much lower than Hinata’s had been.

 

 _So that’s not… the Tokyo Tower?_ He thought to himself sleepily as he followed the group toward the school. They were led toward the room that they would be staying in and Kuroo told Daichi that they could all put their things down and then head to the gym. Tobio threw his bag onto the nearest futon and hurried toward the bathroom he had seen on the way. He moved toward the sink to wash off the marks, he really wasn’t comfortable with other people seeing them, but felt his lips twist up slightly when he saw that more had been added.

 

**I told you to sleep, Shittykawa!**

_Tobio-chan! You were supposed to wash that off!!!_

Tobio slipped the pen out of his pocket. He needed to remember to give it back to Suga-san.

 

**_I was on a bus, Oikawa-san. We’re here now and I’m heading to the gym._ **

****

Tobio washed off the previous conversation but he hesitated to wash off the recently written words. What if they didn’t see them? And it wasn’t as if he could wash away their section anyway. He bit his lip and turned to walk out of the bathroom. It was fine to leave it. There were people that walked around with soulmate markings all the time. No one would pay too much attention to them. And it wasn’t as if his mother was there to see it.

 

He jogged after the other boys to the gym and hurriedly put on a practice jersey before lining up with the rest of the team. “We’re gonna switch out members constantly this time around,” Ukai was saying as Tobio came to a stop, “So be prepared.”

 

“Right!”  


Their first game was against Fukurodani. Tobio couldn’t help but mentally curse their luck. Fukurodani had practically dominated the practice matches the last time they were in Tokyo. With all of the personal practice they had been doing the past few weeks, it might take a few games for them to get back into the swing of things. Especially with all the new things everyone had been working on.

 

The ball went up and Tobio got under it, ready for a quick. This was the perfect time to try that new toss with Hinata. “Just drop it off…just drop it off…just drop it…” He tossed the ball and almost smiled when it left his fingers. He had done it! Now Hinata and the team could see what he had been working on-

 

But the ball didn’t make it to Hinata.

 

Hinata was in the air. The ball paused for that brief moment. But both he and Hinata watched as it fell at the halfway point between them.

 

Tobio felt like he had been hit in that single moment. He couldn’t remember the last time he had tossed a ball to someone and it had been off. He clenched his teeth in annoyance. Damn! Maybe he needed a bit more practice.

 

“What the heck?” Tanaka laughed.” That’s not like you at all!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Tobio muttered. _Damn it! It feels different when I’m in an actual match._ He couldn’t bear to look at Hinata. What was the other boy thinking? Was he laughing at him? No matter. It was best to try just forget about it and try again.

 

So, he did. And this time it went too far. He hissed in annoyance as the ball flew past Hinata. But Hinata’s left hand flew out and connected with the ball, sending it up and over the net. Tobio stared at the boy in shock. _He’s different now._

 

But was that a good thing or a bad thing?

 

The game continued on and, truthfully, Tobio hated that he was right. The team wasn’t in synch at all. Asahi tried a jump serve and it flew out of bounds. Suga was rotated in and the team tried the new attack they had been working on only for it to fail completely. Noya attempted to set the ball and missed. It wasn’t surprising that they lost.

 

“The penalty this time is Shinzen’s special ‘refreshing sprint up the grassy hill,’ apparently,” Daichi explained. Tobio sighed as he looked at the hill. Last night really hadn’t been a good night not to get any sleep. “Everyone get in line!” The boys did as instructed and Tobio clapped his hands. “Ready…go!”

 

So, they ran. Tobio panted as he finished the sprint and thanked Yachi as she handed him a water bottle. It was time to play their next game.

 

Which they lost.

 

And the next game.

 

Which they lost.

 

And again.

 

By the end of the night, the only thing Tobio wanted to do was fall onto his futon and sleep. But after their performance today, he knew he needed to practice. _If we don’t manage to make this somewhat useful by next month…we’ll be in trouble._

“Oh! Are you going to hit some quicks?” Tobio turned slightly with a frown. Yachi was standing next to a ball cart with a really weird expression on his face. “Balls? Want some balls?”

 

“P-please,” Hinata stuttered.

 

“Right!” Tobio said a moment later. If Hinata wanted to practice, he wasn’t going to tell the boy no. They were obviously out of synch with one another and he needed to find a way to fix it. But no matter what they tried, they couldn’t get it. He and Hinata didn’t even speak to one another. All the talking was done through Yachi. Tobio didn’t know how to start a conversation with the redhead. He didn’t seem inclined to talk to Tobio anyway.  There were a few times when Tobio thought he heard Hinata laughing quietly to himself but every time he turned toward the other boy, he was looking the other way. After a few minutes of this, Tobio decided to call it.

 

“I think we’re done for the night,” Tobio finally said after he failed at yet another toss. He ignored the protests Hinata immediately sputtered. “This isn’t working.” Yachi began to say something but Tobio just grabbed his things and left the gym. He needed a shower and sleep. He could try to figure the rest out tomorrow.

 

But he thought about it as he bathed. He thought about it as he got dressed. He thought about it as he settled down on his futon. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep but he couldn’t think of anything except the tosses following short over and over again. With an irritated huff, Tobio grabbed his phone from where it had been in his bag. He winced when he saw the screen. He should have known to check the damn phone.

 

** Message from Oikawa **

****

** Oikawa: Tobio, wash that off your arm **

****

** Oikawa: Use your own spit if you have to **

****

** Oikawa: but preferably use water from someones bottle **

****

** Oikawa: Tobio-chan! **

****

** Oikawa: Are you ignoring me again? **

****

** Oikawa: What is with you and phones?! You’re supposed to respond! **

****

** Oikawa: Damn it, Tobio! **

****

****

** Group chat **

****

** Iwaizumi: So, Tooru fell asleep in the club room **

****

** Iwaizumi: and Mattsun and Makki drew all over his face **

****

** Iwaizumi: image attached **

****

** Iwaizumi: I guess I don’t have to lecture him too badly. I think he learned his lesson **

****

** Oikawa: IWA-CHAN!!! **

****

** Oikawa: WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN????? **

****

** Iwaizumi: Because I’ve been around you way too long. Something was bound to rub off. **

****

** Oikawa: Whatever. Tobio-chan, message us tonight before you go to sleep! **

****

** Iwaizumi: I agree with Shittykawa on that one. Let us know how the day went.  **

****

** Oikawa: Stop calling me that! **

****

Tobio’s lips curled up and he purposely turned his face toward the wall so those in the room, Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita, wouldn’t be able to see the expression. He clicked on the image and had to stifle a laugh when he saw Oikawa sleeping in a chair, his hair separated into two pigtails and his face decorated.

 

** Kageyama: We lost every game. **

****

** Iwaizumi: …ouch **

****

** Oikawa: What?! Why? What did you people do?! You weren’t _that_ bad! **

****

** Kageyama: everyone has been practicing new attacks. We weren’t in synch in all. **

****

** Kageyama: the toss failed **

****

** Kageyama: I couldn’t even get it to Hinata **

****

** Oikawa: Tobio-chan, calm down. Sounds like you and chibi-chan need to practice some more. **

****

** Kageyama: we did. Still didn’t work. **

****

** Iwaizumi: and how long was this extra practice? **

****

** Oikawa: oh, let it go, Iwa-chan. It’s a training camp **

****

** Oikawa: Tobio-chan, take a deep breath. Think about how you’ve been practicing. You said something about bottles, right? Well, if that isn’t working, find another way. **

****

** Kageyama: Like what **

****

** Oikawa: well, I don’t know. If you gave me a bit more information about this new toss I might be able to help a bit more. **

****

** Kageyama: nice try **


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome! I'm so thankful that you seem to be enjoying this story so much! Here's a new chapter...hope you like it!

It was the next morning at breakfast that Tobio noticed something was odd. Tsukishima and Noya had got into some sort of argument soTobio had taken his tray and set it beside Suga, not wanting to involve himself in whatever the two of them were dealing with. The older setter sent him a bright smile as he sat beside him. “Oh! Kageyama-kun! How was your training last night?”

 

Hinata, who had been walking their way, hunched his shoulders but he snorted out a laugh. Tobio frowned. He didn’t think anything was funny. They hadn’t been able to synch at all. Why would that be a laughing matter? “It was horrible,” Tobio said flatly and Hinata’s giggling was instantly put to a stop.

 

It was a bit later that another incident occurred. Yachi, after giving him a water bottle, smiled and commented, “Nice to see your getting along with your soulmates so well, Kageyama-kun! I hope you’ll tell me that story one day!”

 

“What story?” Tobio asked with a frown. Did she want to know how they met? Or how they figured out they were soulmates?

 

Yachi’s eyes went wide and the nervous girl began to shake. “I mean…last night…I just…sorry!” She hurried away and Tobio’s frown intensified. Last night? He shook his head and hurried out to the court. Whatever that meant, Tobio needed to put it out of his mind and focus on the game.

 

Which they lost.

 

Again.

 

Tobio never wanted to run up that hill again.

 

He was thankful when the managers brought watermelon and everyone took a break. He grabbed a piece for himself and looked around at the various groups that were forming. Hinata was sitting beside the setter from Nekoma and the tall middle blocker. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were together, as usual. The second years were all sitting together. And…the third years were sitting with Nekoma’s captain. With slightly hesitation, Tobio moved to sit beside Yamaguchi and Tsukishima. Tsukishima merely raised his eyebrows and continued to eat. “Oh, Kageyama-kun! I heard you had a little surprise last night,” Yamaguchi gave him a teasing grin. “Was it Oikawa-san? It seems more like something he would do than Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Tobio blinked. “What?”

 

“What?”

 

Tobio stared at the other boy in confusion as he began to eat. Tsukishima let out a sigh of irritation. “We heard you had a few decorations last night during practice with Hinata and Yachi.”

 

Decorations?

 

Tobio’s eyes widened as realization hit.

 

The picture Iwaizumi had sent him.

 

The markings on Oikawa’s face.

 

Oh no.

 

Tobio groaned and buried his face in his hands. “The drawings. I didn’t even think-“

 

Tsukishima snorted. “What else is new?” The boy climbed to his feet and walked down the hill toward Yachi. Tobio, who had finished his own piece, stood and followed after him, his face burning. Tsukishima tossed the remainder of the watermelon in the trash.

 

“Can I have another?” Tobio asked Yachi

 

“Sure!”

 

Tsukishima wandered away and Tobio made his way back toward Yamaguchi. “So, you didn’t know?”

 

“I knew,” Tobio muttered as he took a bite. “I mean, Iwaizumi-san sent me a picture. Oikawa-san had fallen asleep after practice and his friends…” Tobio trailed off as something occurred to him. He glanced up at Yamaguchi in horror. “Did anyone else see?”

 

The other first year shook his head quickly. “No! No. Just Yachi and Hinata. Apparently, it wasn’t there for long. I mean, no one said anything about it when you returned to the room last night, right?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then it should be fine,” the boy assured him as he finished his own piece of watermelon. His lips twitched. “But they do seem to enjoy writing to you.” Tobio’s brows creased in confusion and Yamaguchi looked pointedly at his arms. Tobio glanced down. Oh.

 

_Are you doing any better today, Tobio-chan?_

**Are you guys figuring things out?**

****

Tobio forced a smile back at the words. They were checking on him. He should respond. He looked around and frowned. Everyone was dressed in their workout clothes. None of the players would have a pen. But… “Shimizu-san!” the third year froze and looked at Tobio quizzically as he hurried toward her, completely forgetting about Yamaguchi. “Can I use your pen for a moment?”

 

She cocked her head to the side for a moment but her eyes lit with understanding as her eyes fell to his exposed arms. “Of course,” she murmured, sliding the pen out of her notebook and holding it out to Tobio.

 

**_On a short break. We’ve lost every game._ **

****

Tobio handed the pen back and Kiyoko smiled at him slightly as she turned away. Tobio heard growls in the distance but he ignored it. Tanaka and Noya were both well aware that Tobio wasn’t interested in the third-year girl. He had enough to deal with, he wasn’t going to add any more to it.

 

Then the break was over and they were inside the gym yet again. The next game was against Nekoma. “Ohhoho,” Nekoma’s captain said as they took their positions. “I didn’t know you found your soulmate, Kageyama.” His eyes landed on the words that decorated Tobio’s arm. “Oops, I meant _soulmates_.” His lips twitched. “They seem fun.”

 

Fun?

 

Tobio glanced down at his arm and internally groaned.

 

_I’m growing irritated, Tobio-kun. You’re supposed to represent Miyagi. What the hell are you people doing over there?_

**Don’t be an ass, Shittykawa.**

“Shittykawa, huh?” Kuroo chuckled. “How affectionate you all are.”

 

“Stop it, Kuro,” Nekoma’s setter chimed in.

 

Kuroo instantly turned toward the smaller boy and gave him a dopy smile, “Kitten! I was just making conversation!”

 

“You were antagonizing Kageyama. Stop it.”

 

“Fine,” Kuroo pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. It was then that Tobio noticed the paw print drawn on the inside of the third years wrist and the matching paw print on Kenma’s wrist.

 

Oh.

 

Kuroo saw his gaze and smirked as he slipped his arm around Kenma’s shoulders. Kenma scowled in annoyance and ducked down, dislodging the arm. “Kenma! You didn’t tell me you and Kuroo-san were soulmates!” Hinata crowed from beside Tobio. He bounced on his heels excitedly. “That’s so cool! I can’t wait until I meet my soulmate! I hope they like volleyball! You have Kuroo-san and Kageyama-kun has Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san-“

 

“Oikawa and Iwaizumi?” Kuroo cut in instantly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced over Tobio’s shoulder. Tobio followed his gaze. Daichi had his arms crossed over his chest and was standing there close enough to overhear the conversation. “The setter and ace from Aoba Johsai you mentioned?”

 

“The Great King!” Hinata yelled.

 

Tobio saw Kenma’s eyebrows rise in surprise while Kuroo’s smirk grew. “Oh, really now? Kageyama Tobio, genius setter, King of the Court, is the soulmate to Oikawa Tooru? Even teams in Tokyo have heard of Oikawa.”

 

“Of course we have,” Kenma muttered. “He was featured in volleyball monthly. Iwaizumi was there too.”

 

“Kenma!”

 

“Alright, stop gossiping! We’re here to play a game!” Ukai yelled from the edge of the court. “Let’s play!”

 

The game started. They lost but the gap was narrower than it had been the day before. He and Hinata still weren’t completely in synch but they did manage to get some good plays in. Asahi was still nervous whenever he tried to serve and the ball either hit the net or it flew out of the court. Tobio wondered if he should help the third year after practice one night. His form was fine and he had a lot of strength. He was their ace after all. Tobio wasn’t sure if there was much he could help him with. He just needed to calm his nerves and focus.

 

They played one more round against the other teams. Tobio grew more irritated as the games went on but not because their new plays failed over and over again. No, he was irritated at the one person that _wasn’t_ trying to change. Tobio finally lost his temper after he set the ball to Tanaka when Tsukishima didn’t even bother to move forward into a jumping position. Tanaka already had two blockers on him. Even though the second year still managed to score, it would have been easier for Tsukishima to do so. “Hey! You totally slacked there! You need to at least jump!”

 

“Well, aren’t you alert,” Tsukishima deadpanned with his back facing Tobio. “My bad.”

 

Tobio grit his teeth and watched as Tsukishima walked away from him. Tobio really didn’t like him but he admitted that he would be upset if Tsukishima was replaced. As much as he liked Narita, he felt a…fondness for Tsukishima.

 

He blamed the fact that the blond had helped him with his schoolwork and his…other things over the last few months.

 

As a person, he was a complete ass. But not all of his actions were horrible.

 

But Tobio knew that the team was changing. They were attempting to step up their game. And if Tsukishima refused to change with him, no matter his height, there was a great chance he would be replaced.

 

They lost yet again and Tobio found himself once again sprinting up that damn hill. During free practice that night, Tobio snuck away from Hinata and made his way to one of the free gyms. He set up a line of water bottles and began to practice once more. The volleyball hit the bottles one after another. He clenched his jaw in frustration. It was so easy here. Why wasn’t he able to do it during the game? It was constantly short or too long. So why wasn’t he able to get it during the actual games?

 

Tobio sighed in frustration and grabbed his phone from where it was sitting beside his towel. He slid down with his back against the wall and stared at the bottles. He didn’t understand. He was consistently hitting the bottles. Why couldn’t he get the ball to Hinata? It didn’t make sense.

 

** Group chat **

****

** Kageyama: we lost. I can’t get the new attack to synch with Hinata. **

****

It was only seconds after he sent the message that his phone began to buzz in his hand. Tobio blinked down at it in surprise. After a brief hesitation, he flipped the phone open. “Hello?”

 

“Tobio-chan!”

 

“Kageyama-kun. What’s going on?”

 

Tobio’s mouth dropped and he pulled the phone away to look at the ID. He frowned and put the phone back up to his ear. “How are you both here?”

 

“Speaker phone.”

 

“How _old_ are you, Tobio-chan?”

 

Tobio didn’t think that was something he was actually supposed to answer. He was pretty sure that they knew how old he was. Maybe. Right?

 

“Uh-“

 

“You don’t have to answer that, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi chuckled as Oikawa began to cackle in the background. “To answer your question, we’re at Oikawa’s house and got your message. So, you’re on speaker phone so we can both talk to you.”

 

Tobio felt something in his chest drop. He knew that the two of them would be together. Hell, they had wanted to do something on the break with him as well. But he was here, in Tokyo, and they were back home. Together. Without him. “Ah.”

 

“So, you and Chibi-chan still having problems?” Oikawa asked once his laughter finally died down.

 

Tobio hissed in frustration and let his head fallback to slam into the wall he was leaning against. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

 

“Don’t be an ass,” Iwaizumi growled. “Kageyama, are you and the shrimp actually speaking to each other yet?”

 

Tobio didn’t respond. He and Hinata had barely spoken in weeks. “Tobio-chan,” the amusement had faded from Oikawa’s voice. “Have you considered the fact that you and Chibi-chan’s current relationship is the reason for your disconnect during games?”

 

“We don’t have a relationship,” Tobio’s brow furrowed. Did they think that he and Hinata were more than friends? Wouldn’t that upset them?

 

“Not all relationships are romantic, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa groaned. “Friendships are relationships as well. You and Chibi-chan are close. The first time we came to your house, Chibi-chan was there! You can’t say you aren’t friends!”

 

Tobio’s chest tightened. A month ago, he would have admitted that Hinata was probably the closest friend he had. But now… “I don’t think he wants to be my friend, Oikawa-san.”

 

There was a loud sound of exasperation from across the line and the sound of footsteps. “Kageyama, just because you and Hinata had an argument doesn’t mean you aren’t friends,” Iwaizumi said softly. “Hell, you’ve seen Oikawa and I fight.”

 

“You’re soulmates.”

 

“Right,” Iwaizumi agreed. “But we were friends before we knew that.” He sighed. “Look at it from another angle. You and that other middle blocker. The tall one. You two don’t get along well, correct?”

 

Tobio scowled at the mention of Tsukishima. “His personality is worse than Oikawa’s.”

 

Iwaizumi stifled a chuckle as Oikawa yelled something loudly in the background. “Right,” Iwaizumi gasped out, clearly trying not to laugh. “But you can still toss to him, right? You still play with him every day. Why can’t you do the same with the shrimp?”

 

Tobio’s brow furrowed. “I am trying. I just…keep missing. Every time. I miss.”

 

“Then find another way,” Oikawa growled out, his voice suddenly much closer than it had been a few moments before. “But stop isolating yourself. I’m going to assume your team is doing some practicing? Maybe even with members from other teams? And you’re alone, working on the same thing you’ve been working on for the last few weeks. There are other setters there. Go talk to them. Learn. Stop focusing on Hinata and focus on yourself.” Tobio sucked in a deep breath. Focus on him? What did that even mean? And the other setters…

 

“I…maybe,” Tobio admitted hesitantly.

 

“Uh huh,” Oikawa said in frustration. “Look, we’ll call you tomorrow night. Same time. I expect you to tell me what you’ve learned.”

 

Tobio snorted, “If I learn anything new I’m not telling you until after the Spring Tournament.”

 

Iwaizumi barked out a laugh, “well, he got you there, Tooru.”

 

“Pfft, like those people could teach me anything anyway!” Oikawa said airily. “Alright, Tobio-chan. You have your homework! Go mingle!”

 

“Bye Kageyama-“

 

The line went dead and Tobio sighed as he flipped his phone closed. He looked at the bottles and winced. Well, they were right that this didn’t seem to be working but…

 

Mingle?

 

That didn’t sound like something he wanted to do.

 

Well, he had twenty-four hours.

 

He’d do it tomorrow.

 

Maybe.

 

He’d really rather not.

 

He picked up the bottles with a sigh and threw them in his bag. He quickly picked up the balls lying around and tossed them into the ball bin. He picked up his bag and wrapped a towel around his shoulders before leaving the gym. He glanced at the clock as he left. He had just enough time to get to the cafeteria and get some food. He wasn’t surprised to see most of the team there. The third years and most of the second years were sitting together, Noya and Tanaka being as loud as they usually were. Yamaguchi and Hinata were sitting with Kenma. Kenma, who was the setter for Nekoma. Who Tobio had tried to speak to once before and the boy had practically run away from him.

 

Oikawa’s ‘homework’ ran through his head. Maybe he shouldn’t start with Kenma.

 

Tobio grabbed a tray of food and slid into an empty seat at a nearby table. The second years were too loud for him at the moment and there was no way he was going to join Hinata and Kenma. Even if Yamaguchi was there as well.

 

He wasn’t alone long. He had barely begun to eat when another tray was placed beside him. Tobio glanced up in surprise. Tsukishima slid into the seat. “Don’t think too much about it,” the other first year said with an exhausted sigh. Tobio noticed the weariness in the boy’s eyes. “I’ve been with those loud idiots for hours. I can’t stand anymore tonight. At least you’re quiet when you aren’t playing…or when you’re separated from Hinata.”

 

Tobio was still contemplating if he should be offended by those words when another tray settled across from him and Fukurōdani’s setter fell into the chair. “Akaashi-san,” Tsukishima greeted but his eyes seemed to be flickering around the other boys’ shoulders in a slight panic.

 

“They’re going to sit with Kenma,” Akaashi muttered as he began to dig into his food. “I needed a break.”

 

Tsukishima seemed to accept the words easily enough and turned his attention to his own food. Tobio just stared at Akaashi. Another setter. From a power house school. In front of him.

 

_“_ _There are other setters there. Go talk to them. Learn. Stop focusing on Hinata and focus on yourself.”_

Tobio took a deep breath and bowed his head toward the second year in front of him. “Akaashi-san, would you do me the honor of speaking with me about your technique and how you synch with your team?”

 

There was silence. Tobio felt his cheeks burn. Was that too forward? Should he have asked in another way? “King, what the hell are you doing?”

 

Tobio’s entire face felt as if it was on fire. “Kageyama-kun, please raise your head,” another voice cut in. Tobio looked up, only to meet a pair of intense dark eyes. “I’m not sure what it is you want to know, but you can ask me anything you wish. I have to say, your technique is far more advanced than my own.”

 

“You and Bokuto-san work so well together,” Tobio said instantly. “How do you do it?”

 

Akaashi took a bite of his food and turned his head slightly to look at the next table, where Bokuto and Kuroo were talking excitedly to an irritated Kenma and a fascinated Hinata. “It took time,” Akaashi admitted. “Bokuto-san can be challenging. It took a lot of practice to figure out how to work well together. Truthfully, Bokuto-san had trouble working with the previous setter. The two were both very hard headed and wanted to play their way, neither of them could meet in the middle.”  


Tobio felt himself flush as Tsukishima sent him a pointed glance. “And you did?”

 

Akaashi shrugged his elegant shoulders. “Not exactly. But we came to an understanding. I know the tosses Bokuto-san likes. I know the tosses that Bokuto-san needs. I give him what fits the situation. There are times we do not agree. There are times that I am wrong,” his nose scrunched as he said the words. “However, we respect one another’s opinions and that is what is important. I am not sure how else to answer that question, Kageyama-kun. Was my answer sufficient?”

 

Tobio nodded and his head swam. _Respect one another’s opinion._ Was the issue that Tobio didn’t respect his team enough? Is that what Oikawa had been trying to make him understand?

 

“King, what is going through your head right now?” Tsukishima growled. Tobio’s head snapped toward the blond. He had forgotten he was there. “Is this about the whole thing with Hinata? Just talk to him. You two are annoying me.” Tsukishima grabbed his tray and stood.

 

Akaashi watched him go. “Kageyama-kun, you are an amazing setter. It seems that your team is going through a…difficult transition at the moment, however, I do not believe it is necessary for you to worry. Just trust yourself and your team. Everything will work out.” He bowed his head and finished off his food before grabbing his tray and following after Tsukishima.

 

Tobio wondered why someone like Akaashi would be going after someone like Tsukishima. Had they become friends? How? How had Tsukishima met a friend when this had been Tobio’s first conversation with someone other than a teammate?

 

He let out a sigh and finished his own food. Right. Tomorrow was another day. And they weren’t going to lose again. He would make sure of it.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, I went through and planned out the rest of this story! Yay! We're nearing the end...well, we have about seven or eight chapters left. I hope you enjoy this post! Let me know!

Tobio went to breakfast the next morning and almost dropped his tray in surprise when someone called his name. His head snapped to the side to find the source and he froze when he saw Akaashi waving him over with a sleepy look on his face. Tobio walked toward him hesitantly. He was a few steps away when he noticed someone sitting across from Akaashi.

 

“Please join us, Kageyama-kun,” Akaashi said once Tobio was within hearing distance. At the words, the person across from Akaashi sat up straight and turned his head to the side just slightly. Tobio’s hands tightened on the tray.

 

“Good morning, Akaashi-san, Kozume-san,” Kageyama muttered as he placed his tray beside Kenma’s and tried to ignore the way the other boy shifted away from him slightly.

 

“Just Kenma.”

 

Tobio inclined his head. He had heard from Hinata about the other boy disliking honorifics. He hadn’t wanted to presume. “Kenma,” Tobio repeated. He shifted his hands nervously. He glanced across the table at Akaashi and saw the other boy’s shoulders shaking slightly as he hid a smile behind his hands. Tobio frowned.

 

“Sorry, Kageyama-kun,” Akaashi said, his smile gone as he dropped his hand. “I thought you might be interested in speaking to Kenma about his team as well.”

 

Kenma’s head shot up again and he sent a glare toward Akaashi before ducking his head once more. He seemed to shrink in on himself. Tobio stared at the side of Kenma’s head. There were so many questions he wanted to ask him. How long had he been playing volleyball? Where did he learn that feint he used on Tsukishima in their first practice match? How long had he been setting? Had he ever felt like he was stuck in the same place? Had he had trouble connecting with any of the other players?

 

Kenma seemed to be sinking into himself the longer the silence lasted. “King, what are you doing?” a voice questioned. Tobio pulled his eyes away from Kenma and glared at the boy that slid into the seat across from him. “I’m sure Kenma-san would appreciate it if you stopped staring at him. And your soulmates would probably be a bit upset to know how obsessed you are with…” Tsukishima’s eyes suddenly flashed with amusement and his smirk grew. “Oh, I would love to see Oikawa’s face if he saw you obsessed with a setter besides himself.”

 

“Oikawa?” Akaashi questioned, tilting his head to the side as he focused his eyes on the blond.

 

“Oikawa Tooru.”

 

“Ah,” Akaashi nodded. “I have heard of him. You are his soulmate?” Akaashi asked Tobio.

 

Tobio felt himself flush. “Yes. And Iwaizumi-san.”

 

Akaashi blinked slowly. “Ah. I see,” he smiled at Tobio slightly. “It must be nice. To know your soulmates at such a young age.”

 

Tsukishima snorted. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew them.” Tobio glared as the words crossed the blond’s lips. Tsukishima just smirked in return.

 

“I should go,” Kenma muttered as he stood from his chair. He avoided everyone’s eyes as he slowly shuffled toward the door. Tobio bit his lip as he watched him run away. Again.

 

Well, that didn’t go well.

 

“Sorry, Kageyama-kun,” Akaashi said as he took a deep drink of some caffeinated beverage he had in his hands. “I thought that if I was here he might talk to you. He has trouble in social situations.”

 

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Tsukishima muttered as his eyes purposely strayed toward Tobio. Tobio flinched and quickly gulped down the rest of his milk before standing and bowing his head to Akaashi.

 

“Kageyama-kun-“

 

“I need to practice,” Tobio said quickly, grabbing his tray and leaving the cafeteria as quickly as possible.

 

He had just stepped out into the courtyard on his way to the gym when Yamaguchi waved at him. “Kageyama-kun! Have you seen Tsukki?”

 

“He’s eating with Akaashi-san,” Tobio muttered, pulling open the gym doors.

  
Yamaguchi blinked. “Oh. Well…that’s good.” Yamaguchi’s eyes drifted over Tobio’s shoulder and Tobio watched as the other first year’s entire expression seemed to light up. Tobio turned his head slightly. Yachi was walking toward them with a bright blush on her face. She seemed to be rubbing her right arm. “Oh,” Yamaguchi said again. Tobio turned his head back to the other boy and followed his gaze. “Sorry! I…didn’t receive that spike from Yamamoto-san well yesterday.”

 

“Oh! I mean…no, it’s fine! I just…I didn’t mean to make you feel…sorry!” Yachi yelled out, bowing toward Yamaguchi.

  
The other boy jumped and waved his hands around frantically. “No! Why are you sorry? I’m the reason you have that bruise!”  


“But I didn’t mean to make you feel bad!”

 

“But I should feel bad!”  


Tobio’s eyes swung from one person to the other, not sure if he should walk away or tell them that it wasn’t really something to be apologizing about. It wasn’t as if Yamaguchi had done it on purpose.

 

“Come on, you three! Let’s get warmed up!” Daichi said with a smile as he placed a hand on Yamaguchi’s shoulder. Tobio blinked in surprise. He hadn’t even seen the third years walk up behind them.

 

“Yes!” Yachi squeaked, running after Kyoko into the gym. Yamaguchi followed closely behind her, leaving Tobio standing awkwardly with Daichi and Suga.

 

“So, how are things going, Kageyama-kun?” Suga asked with a bright smile. “I saw you sitting with Tsukishima-kun and Akaashi-kun last night.”

 

Tobio felt himself flush and he avoided the older setter’s eyes. “Yeah,” he muttered.

 

Suga was still smiling brightly as Tobio’s eyes flickered up. “Well, I hope you all had a good chat! It’s a great opportunity for us to grow.” Suga glanced over his shoulder at Daichi, who moved to walk into the gym. “Well, time to practice, Kageyama-kun.”

 

Tobio followed Suga into the gym and those present began to warm up. The rest of the team stumbled in a few minutes later, Tsukishima being the latest with Akaashi by his side. Tobio saw Yamaguchi shoot his friend a look as he came to stand beside him but the blond ignored him completely.

 

The games started and Tobio’s heart fell a bit more after each loss. He was growing frustrated. And he wasn’t the only one. He and Hinata hadn’t had a true conversation in weeks but Tobio knew that the constant blocks were getting to him. Especially that middle blocker from Nekoma. Lev or something. Height would always be a factor in volleyball and something that Hinata would have to compete with. But that was something Tobio could help him with. If he gave him the right toss, Hinata could fight midair. And his height wouldn’t be a disadvantage.

 

The ball came toward him and Tobio concentrated on Hinata. He needed to get the ball to him. Needed him to be able to hit it.

 

He could do it.

 

He tossed and Hinata slammed the ball down.

 

He had scored.

 

But…

 

“You held back, didn’t you?!” Hinata yelled, suddenly appearing right in Tobio’s face.

 

Tobio blinked down at the angry boy. “Held…back?” Did Hinata really think that he would hold back? In volleyball?  He tilted his head. “Me? With volleyball?” He couldn’t have. This was the one thing…the one thing he could put his full attention in. The one thing that he could just let himself fall into. Without thinking, his hand shot forward and he grabbed Hinata’s jersey. “Say that again.”

 

But Hinata didn’t back down. “That wasn’t the falling toss,” Hinata said plainly.

 

Tobio’s fingers loosened. It… the last play replayed in his head. The feel of the ball on his fingers. The way he tossed.

 

“Kageyama-kun, calm down,” someone said, patting his shoulder lightly.

 

Tobio just stared at Hinata. Hinata, who was gritting his teeth and looking as if he was going to attack Tobio at any moment.

 

Just like that night.

 

“Would you stop it already?” Tanaka growled, holding Hinata back. “Don’t you dare fight here!”

 

But Tobio kept replaying the image in his mind. The feeling. Had he…had he really just done that? Was Hinata right?

 

_Did I subconsciously back down just now?_

Tobio turned away from Hinata in shock. He had never, never backed down with a toss because of a spiker. Kindaichi’s face flashed through his mind. Why had he…was it just because it was Hinata?

 

“Don’t stop it, Kageyama!” Hinata yelled and Tobio froze with his back to the other first year. An image of Oikawa appeared in his mind. What had he said that day in front of the community center?

 

_Are you giving Chibi-chan the exact tosses he wants? Have you even tried to?_

When looking at Hinata’s face right this moment, he knew what Oikawa meant.

 

And he knew that he had failed.

 

And the words Akaashi had spoken to him the night before. _We respect one another’s opinions and that is what is important._ He knew Hinata’s opinion. He knew what toss Hinata wanted. But could Tobio actually pull it off?

 

The question rang through Tobio’s head the rest of the day. Through every game. Every loss. Every sprint up the hill. And then it was finally time for free practice. And he knew what he had to do.

 

Again.

 

“What are you doing, Kageyama-kun?” Hinata asked as Tobio began to set up water bottles in front of the net.

 

“I’m not practicing with you,” Tobio told the other first year bluntly. Yachi was standing by the ball bin, Hinata beside her. It was obvious what the two were planning. “And I won’t be using the new quick with you during matches.”

 

“What?!” Hinata shouted.

 

Tobio glanced over his shoulder in exasperation. “You’re the one that told me not to stop, aren’t you?” Hinata’s brows creased in confusion. “There’s no point in us practicing together right now.” _Not until I can get this toss down. It’s just a waste of time until I do._

 

“Okay!” Hinata said instantly and Tobio felt his shoulders loosen instantly. Of course Hinata would hear his hidden words. He knew what Tobio meant. The boy took off at a run, yelling for Kenma to toss to him. Tobio’s lips twitched as Kenma instantly glanced around the gym, looking for a way out.

 

So Tobio practiced. Yachi threw the ball for him over and over again and, just like it had in previous practices, the ball hit the bottles one after another. Well, most of the time. So why couldn’t he do it during a game? He didn’t understand. But he kept tossing. Over and over again. He didn’t stop until a loud ringing spread throughout the gym, making various people that were practicing on other courts turn toward him. “Kageyama-kun?” Yachi asked as he hurried over toward his phone.

 

“We’re done for today,” Tobio muttered, picking up his phone, water bottle, and towel and making his way out of the gym. As soon as he stepped outside, he flipped it open. “Hello?”

 

“Tobio-chan!”

 

“Hey, Kageyama. How were the games today?”

 

Tobio let out an irritated huff. “Same as yesterday.”

 

“Ouch.”

 

“Eh, I’m going to have to call Daichi. This is just-“

 

“You aren’t calling him, Asskawa,” Iwaizumi growled and there was the distinct sound of something hitting something else. Tobio felt a quick flash of pain in his head and heard Oikawa let out a loud whine.

 

“So rude, Iwa-chan!”  


“I’m not the rude one, Shittykawa!”

 

“Iwa-chan!” Tobio felt a smile cross his face at the banter between the two boys. No one was around to see him and it was dark out. It should be fine. No one to see it and comment. Or run away screaming. “So, Tobio-chan, how did your assignment go?”

 

Tobio’s heart clenched and he struggled to find something to say. The silence must have gone on too long because Oikawa let out a deep sigh. “Oh, Tobio-chan.”

 

There was the sound of muffled voices on the other end of the phone and then Iwaizumi’s voice came clear. “Did you talk to shorty?”

 

Tobio hesitated. Could he really consider that talking? “Uh…kind of. Yelled. I decided not to use the new toss in matches-“

 

_“What?!”_

 

“Until I can get it to-“

 

“Tobio-chan!”

 

“Oi! Let him finish!”

 

“No! Four days in Tokyo and he’s lost his mind!”

 

Tobio frowned. Oikawa was being rude. Again. Maybe if he knew… “I did speak to one setter. Akaashi-san. Second year and vice captain of Fukurodani. He was nice.”

 

“Did you say a second year? The vice captain of Fukurodani is a second year?” Iwaizumi asked.

 

“Yeah.”  


“And?” Oikawa demanded impatiently. “How did it go?”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Tobio-chan! I need more than fine!”

 

Tobio sighed helplessly. “I – I don’t know. He was nice.”  


“He was nice,” Oikawa said flatly. Tobio shrugged even though he knew they couldn’t see him. He didn’t know what else to say.

 

“Well, that’s good,” Iwaizumi said encouragingly. “You talked to this Akaashi. You…talked to shorty. It’s a good start, Kageyama.”

 

Tobio made a sound of confirmation. There was silence for just a moment and then a sound made Tobio turn his head sharply. His mouth dropped open when he saw Akaashi walked toward him. “I – have to go.”

 

There was a squawk of surprise and then Iwaizumi’s, “Alright, we’ll talk to you tomorrow. Have fun.” The line went dead and Tobio clicked his phone closed and stood to meet Akaashi.

 

“You didn’t have to hang up,” Akaashi said, giving him a small, apologetic smile. “I thought you would like to know that the cafeteria is getting ready to close.”

 

Tobio’s eyes widened and his stomach growled. “Oh. I – I’ll go there now.”  


“Do you mind if I walk with you? I haven’t eaten yet either.”

 

Tobio’s mouth went dry. He…wanted to walk with him? Did that mean he would want to sit together? Again? He nodded his head and Akaashi gestured for the two of them to start walking. They made their way toward the cafeteria in silence, neither of them feeling pressured to say anything. It wasn’t until both had a tray in hand that the awkwardness returned. Akaashi began to walk toward a table and Tobio paused. Should he follow the other boy? Should he find his own place to sit? He saw Hinata watching him from where he sat beside Bokuto, Kuroo, and Lev. The small redhead sent him a small smile and gestured for him to come sit with them. Tobio’s body instantly flooded with relief.

 

Whatever argument they had had, all was now forgiven.

 

But still…

 

“Kageyama-kun?” Akaashi asked, pausing in is movements and glancing over his shoulder. His eyes moved toward Hinata. “Ah. You are welcome to join me if you wish,” his lips quirked up and he once again began to walk toward the table in the back of the cafeteria. Tobio hesitated for a moment and then followed after him. Hinata looked at him in surprise as he walked by but he smiled a moment later. Tobio quickly slid into the seat across from Akaashi.

 

The two started to eat in silence. They were halfway done with their meals when Akaashi spoke. “Sorry if this is out of line but do you mind if I ask about your soulmates?”

 

The milk Tobio had been drinking stuck in his throat and Tobio struggled to swallow it and not spit it out on the other boy. “Uh, sure?” he said awkwardly, shrugging his shoulders. Why was this happening again? First Yamaguchi and now Akaashi. He really wasn’t the person to ask for advice.

 

“Thank you,” Akaashi hesitated for a moment. “I have heard that some people feel an instant connection with their soulmates. Others say they were not aware that they were soulmates until the shared bruises and such began to appear. I was curious about your own experience with the matter.”

 

Tobio flushed. “Oh.” He thought back to the first time he saw the bruises. His mother’s harsh grip. His own fear. “Mine was odd. Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san have been friends since they were young. The bond passed the first stage because of the two of them. I didn’t know anything about the bruises or the writing.”  


“Ah,” Akaashi said in understanding. “So, you began to communicate with them?”

 

Tobio shook his head. He didn’t want to talk about his mother but he could still tell the truth. Most of it. “No. I didn’t. I…didn’t know what to say. I met them in junior high.”

 

Akaashi sat forward in interest, a frown of concentration on his face. “Interesting. I suppose you saw the writing that matched your own and confronted them?”

 

Tobio’s flush grew darker. “No,” he muttered as he looked down at his plate. “I…Iwaizumi-san figured it out first. During the Inter-High Tournament.”

 

“Wait. This year’s Inter-High?”

 

Tobio nodded and he could feel Akaashi’s calculating gaze taking everything in. Analyzing him. “Oikawa-san figured it out a few days later.”

 

Akaashi’s eyes continued to bore into him and Tobio ducked his head and began to eat. “I see,” Akaashi finally said, going back to his own meal. “That is a very odd meeting indeed.” He fell silent once again for a few moments. “Kuroo-san and Kenma are much like your Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san. They have known each other since they were young. For them, knowing their soulmate is as simple as breathing. They move together flawlessly. I suppose it would be…difficult for someone to try and…find their place in that union.”

 

Tobio’s mind flashed through the last few months. The jokes between the two. The way they touched one another so easily. How out of place Tobio felt. “It can be.”

 

Akaashi was watching him again. “But I also know that the two of them would do anything to make sure their soulmate wouldn’t feel that way. They would do anything for that person,” Akaashi finished his meal and waited until Tobio looked up and met his gaze before continuing. “I hope your own soulmates are that kind.”

 

Tobio’s breath caught. “They are.”  


Akaashi smiled slowly, “That is all I needed to know.” He stood and grabbed his tray. “I’m going to take a bath and head to bed. I will see you in the morning, Kageyama-kun.”

 

Tobio frowned after him. Why did the other boy care so much?


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...hi! You all are awesome! Keep that in mind, okay?

Tobio woke the next morning to Hinata chattering in his ear. It was like the boy hadn’t gone a day without speaking to him. Hinata led him toward the cafeteria, where they sat together and ate breakfast. Lev sat on Hinata’s other side and Tobio looked at him curiously for a moment before going back to his own breakfast. Tobio saw Akaashi enter the cafeteria a short while later and the older setter gave him a small wave before sliding into a seat beside Kenma.

 

Their first game that day was against Ubugawa and Tobio actually thought they were doing pretty well. Sure, they still had some issues. And, as promised, he hadn’t even attempted the new quick. But the score looked much better than it had previously. They still ended up losing the game but it was close with Karasuno scoring 23 points.

 

It set the pace for the rest of the day. They lost their games but the scores were a great deal closer than they had been earlier in the week.

 

That night, Tobio once again set up his bottles on the floor but he paused when a pair of sneakers came into his line of sight. He glanced up. “Kageyama,” Ukai greeted as he scanned the bottles. “Practicing the new quick?”

 

Tobio nodded and Ukai strode over to stand beside a now shaking Yachi. “Alright, let’s see it.”

 

Tobio tensed. This wasn’t going to help him. But he didn’t say anything. He got into position and Yachi threw the ball. Tobio knew it was wrong the second it left his fingers. “Again,” he snarled. Yachi nodded in determination and Ukai crossed his arms over his chest. Tobio avoided his coach’s gaze. He could do this. He had been doing this every night. This wasn’t a game. He would be fine.

 

But after two solid hours of Tobio only being able to hit the bottle one of every three times, he was seriously starting to doubt himself. He tossed the ball and watched as it fell just short of the bottle – just like it kept falling just short of Hinata during games.

 

This wasn’t working.

 

“Next please!” Tobio called in irritation.

 

And he kept trying. Over and over and over again. And missing. He saw the disappointment on Yachi’s face and he closed his eyes in defeat. What was _wrong_ with him? He hadn’t missed this badly since he first started figuring out the new toss. This…was ridiculous.

 

“Kageyama, don’t think of the bottle as a target,” Ukai said suddenly, making Tobio turn to look at the man curiously. Don’t think of the bottle as a target? But the bottle _was_ the target. Why wouldn’t he think of it as such? “Actually visualize it. As much as you can visualize a spiker.”

 

“Visualize a spiker…” Tobio muttered in confusion. So…instead of the bottles, think about Hinata running up toward the area the bottle was set?

  
Would that work?

 

Tobio straightened and looked at the bottles. Five. Five bottles. Five Hinata’s.

 

Isn’t that a terrifying thought?

 

But he could try it. He knew Hinata’s speed. Knew how high he could jump. He just had to imagine the other boy was there. “Again,” Tobio called. Yachi threw a ball and Tobio imagined that Hinata was there, running a straight line toward the net. Slot one…he set the ball and watched as it flew toward his vision of Hinata.

 

It missed.

 

The ball slammed to the floor just to the side of the bottle and Tobio scowled.

 

At least it was closer.

 

“Again!”

 

He took a deep breath and imagined Hinata running toward the net once more. And…he missed. And again. Until….

 

_Slot five._

He tossed the ball and it flew toward the imaginary spiker. It stopped in exactly the right spot, the perfect place for Hinata to spike it, and then it fell to the floor, hitting the bottle. Tobio’s heart stopped. “One more!”  


“Yes!”

 

It wasn’t until late that night that Yamaguchi showed up at the gym doors. “You two almost done? I brought you something to eat.”  


Tobio blinked in surprise. Something to eat? It was then that he noticed just how hungry he was. What time was it? “The cafeteria…”

 

“Closed hours ago,” Yamaguchi said with a grin as he handed both Yachi and Tobio an apple. “I think the two of you better turn in. We don’t need you two falling asleep during the matches.”

 

Tobio sent a glare the other boy’s way but he wasn’t paying any attention. Tobio sighed and began to pick up the balls lying around as Yachi and Yamaguchi had one of their usual, stuttering conversations. Not that Tobio had any room to judge anyone else for being socially awkward. At least Oikawa and Iwaizumi could hold the conversation when he –

 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi.

 

If the cafeteria had closed than that meant it was pretty late. Which meant…

 

Uh oh.

 

Tobio hurried over to where his phone was resting on the ground and picked it up carefully. Almost like he was expecting it to explode. He flipped it open and his heart dropped when he saw the multiple missed calls and messages. With shaking fingers, he clicked on the button.

 

** Group Chat **

****

** Oikawa: We are not doing this again!!!! **

****

** Oikawa: ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **

****

** Iwaizumi: He must be practicing.  **

****

** Oikawa: So? I think we’re more important than that! **

****

** Iwaizumi:…did you just say that we are more important than volleyball? So the order of importance should go soulmates and then volleyball? **

****

** Oikawa: YES! **

****

** Oikawa: Wait. **

****

** Oikawa: IWA-CHAN! **

****

** Iwaizumi: I hope the day went well, Kageyama. Text us to let us know everything is okay. **

****

** Kageyama: Sorry. I was practicing with coach. **

****

No way was Tobio going to tell them that he had lost track of time and hadn’t noticed that they called. He’d never hear the end of it. And Oikawa would be furious. Even Iwaizumi would be upset with that one.

 

** Oikawa: HE LIVES **

****

** Iwaizumi: Yeah, and it sounds like he needs sleep **

****

** Iwaizumi: So do you, Trashykawa. We have practice tomorrow morning. **

****

** Oikawa: Whatever you say, Iwa-chan **

****

** Kageyama: Good night **

****

** Oikawa: Night, Tobio-chan! **

****

** Iwaizumi: Sleep well, Kageyama. **

****

Tobio let out a sigh and moved toward the gym doors. Yachi and Yamaguchi had left when he was texting (they had both asked if he wanted them to wait but he had waved them away as he was reading his messages), so he turned out the lights and closed the gym doors behind him. He bit into the apple as he slowly made his way back toward Karasuno’s room. He really was hungry. At least the apple would help a bit. But, he was kind of disappointed that he had missed dinner. Both because of the food and the fact that he hadn’t had a chance to talk to Akaashi that day. He enjoyed talking to the older setter.

 

Tobio woke the next morning with a new determination. This was their last day at the training camp. They needed to prove that they were different than they had been when they arrived. But first, he really, really needed some food.

 

He hurried toward the cafeteria and grabbed a tray of food. Without even thinking about it, Tobio found himself joining Akaashi and Kenma at the far table. Kenma, as usual, tensed and looked at him from the corner of his eye but Akaashi’s lips turned up. “Kageyama-kun. I didn’t see you at dinner last night.”

 

“I was practicing,” Tobio admitted as he shoved rice into his mouth. “Cafeteria closed.”

 

“Ah,” Akaashi said, his lips twitching once more. “That explains why you’re eating so quickly. I suppose you must be hungry.”

 

“Starving.”

 

Looking incredibly amused, Akaashi didn’t say another word as Tobio continued to shovel food into his mouth. It wasn’t until Tobio was on his second bowl of rice that Akaashi spoke once more, “Hinata-kun joined our practice last night. I do believe he and Bokuto became quite close.”

 

Tobio paused and swallowed his mouthful before turning his head around owlishly. Hinata and Bokuto were sitting with Kuroo and an irritated looking Tsukishima. Hinata was saying something in his usual squawking way and Bokuto was responding with his loud enthusiasm.

 

It was vaguely terrifying.

 

“That’s why we’re over here,” Kenma muttered, his eyes still fixated on the game that was in his hand.

 

Akaashi nodded in confirmation. “Yes. Though I do wonder how they convinced Tsukishima-kun to sit with them. He certainly looks as if he would rather be anywhere else.”

 

Tobio’s lips turned up as he looked at the blond. Yes, he was positive that Tsukishima was regretting his current seating arrangement. Tobio thought it was extremely amusing. “Well,” Akaashi said after another moment of silence. “I suppose we should be heading to the gym. It is our last day, after all.”  


Nodding quickly, Tobio finished his meal and stood as his earlier thoughts flooded to him. It was their last day. He hoped that they would improve. At least somewhat.

 

The hopes proved to be futile.

 

Since it was the last day, the usual run up the hill had been exchanged for diving receives. Tobio wasn’t sure what that had to do with it being the last day but…well, Daichi said that it had changed so that’s what they did. Tobio was actually thankful for it. His team needed to improve, especially Hinata, and the ‘punishments’ were helping that right along. At least Hinata didn’t slam his head onto the floor anymore.

 

“We basically kept losing all the way to the end!” Tanaka hissed as they finished. Tobio agreed as he fought to catch his breath. It was true. Three games. They had played over sixty games the past week and Karasuno had only managed to win three of them.

 

It truly was pathetic.

 

Oikawa was going to be furious.

 

“You guys need to keep doing your best and survive,” Daichi’s voice floated toward them. Tobio glanced up at his captain and frowned at the complete seriousness he was displaying. What was going on? “I just happened to hear this and I was going to keep it quiet…”

 

“Wh-what is it?” Tanaka questioned.

 

“When all of these practice matches are over…” Daichi continued in that same tone. It was beginning to unsettle Tobio a bit. “Apparently, the coaches are going to treat us to a barbeque.”

 

Tanaka, Noya, and Hinata exploded into motion, jumping around and dancing in happiness. Tobio’s mouth began to water and his eyes widened. Barbeque? He couldn’t remember the last time he had had something that…amazing. Meat. So much meat. He tried to mimic the other boys to show his happiness but he just continued to trip over his own feet as the images of the tasty treat continued to pop into his mind.

 

“So you guys get ready for our next game,” Daichi continued, his voice barely registering. “Let’s finish this camp out by showing these guys what Karasuno can do!”  


That got through to them. All four boys instantly stopped moving and began to prepare for their next match – a match against Fukurōdani. Tobio was stretching out his arms when he heard the mocking voice of Tsukishima. “I’ll be looking forward to that super awesome thing…” he said as he made his way toward the court. Tobio frowned and glanced over his shoulder. Super cool thing?

 

“Just watch, you jerk!” Hinata screamed back and Tobio paused. The new thing was something of Hinata’s? Why didn’t Tobio know anything about it? Shouldn’t he have been told? Was it something he was going to have to plan for?

 

“I really want to see that new quick soon,” Tobio heard Yachi say wistfully. Tobio winced. Yeah, he would like to see it too.

 

“Kageyama!” Tobio turned fully, surprised that he had been brought into the conversation. “I want to hurry up and hit that falling toss!”

 

Tobio frowned as he stared at the boy in front of him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to do the toss. It was just that he didn’t think the two were ready yet. Tobio wasn’t sure if he would be able to get the ball to Hinata during the game. And, even if he did, it would be something different for Hinata. Something that he wasn’t sure the other boy was ready for as of yet. “Don’t rush,” Tobio finally said, hoping that the words wouldn’t start yet another argument. “As long as I’m missing the tosses, it won’t be any practice for you.”

 

“I was thinking that yesterday, too,” Hinata admitted and Tobio felt relief wash over him at the words. Good. “But you’re really creepy when you worry about others.” Well, there went that relief. Now irritation was flooding his veins. “I get it, but hurry up and give me tosses! I want to hit them!”  
  
That insolent brat! Tobio turned toward Hinata furiously. “That’s why I’m practicing so hard, dumbass!”  Tobio was panting furiously. What had the idiot thought he had been doing all of that time? Did he think Tobio _wanted_ to mess that toss up constantly?

 

“How long are you going to make me wait?” Hinata snapped back. “I demand the ultimate toss!”  


Tobio’s eyes widened. That…idiotic… _dumbass_! “I’m trying!”

 

“Try harder! I bet the Great King could do it!”  


“Hey!” Tobio snapped, balling his fists at his sides.

 

“Low blow, Hinata,” Tanaka whispered.

 

“All right, enough!” Ukai yelled out. “Gather round!” Tobio was still shaking as he fell into line beside Hinata. Stupid Hinata. Bringing Oikawa into this. “Try to work the new things you’ve all been practicing into this match.” Was Tobio imagining it or had Hinata just pointed at him? He better have imagined it. “Also, I say this every time, but put pressure on Fukurōdani’s #4 when he hits.”

 

“Right!”

 

“In the end, the training camp was filled with penalties,” Ukai said with a small smile, “but you guys should definitely feel different now than you did in the first away games.” Tobio thought back to his long hours of training. The new toss. The new perspective he had received from Oikawa and Akaashi. Yes. Yes, he did feel different. “Let’s get an awesome win here and go get some delicious meat!”  


“Right!”

 

They moved out onto the court and Tobio got into his position and waited for the game to begin. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They were right. This was it. The last game. A game against Fukurōdani. It was the perfect time to prove that their team had changed. Now they just had to pull it off.

 

The whistle blew and Tobio watched as Asahi served the ball. It was good, not great, but good. Unfortunately, Fukurōdani picked it up easily and Akaashi tossed the ball to Bokuto. “Tighten up for the straight,” Tsukishima muttered as he slid closer to Tobio. Tobio glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Was Tsukishima…interested? “If there’s even the slightest gap, it’ll get through.”

 

Bokuto jumped to spike and Tobio jumped beside Tsukishima to block. The ball slammed into Tsukishima’s hand and flew into the air. Tobio hissed as it went off the court. Damn. The game continued and Tobio was proud of the fact that, despite the fact they were playing the current strongest team at the camp, Fukurōdani wasn’t able to completely pull away from them in points. It was about twenty minutes into the game when Tobio finally learned what Hinata meant by a special attack. Tobio had just tossed to the redhead and two of Fukurōdani’s tallest members jumped to block him. Tobio prepared for the ball to come back toward them but his mouth dropped when he saw Hinata shift just slightly midair. Instead of spiking the ball, he barely touched it with his fingertips and sent it up, straight over the blockers.

 

Since when did Hinata know how to do a feint?

 

“A feint?!” Bokuto screamed from the other side of the net.

 

“You’re the one that taught it to him!” Akaashi snapped and Tobio quickly hid a smile behind his hand at the completely done expression the second-year setter had on his face.

 

How amusing.

 

But…if Hinata was able to think in midair and pull that off…

 

“You actually used your head?” Tobio asked Hinata, his mind still frantically trying to make sense of what just happened. “You’re going to get a fever…”

 

“You are the only person that doesn’t get to say stuff like that to me!”

 

The game continued. Karasuno didn’t manage to catch up to Fukurōdani, not yet anyway, but they weren’t letting the other team completely run away with it either. And Tobio was having fun. He even did a quick setter dump that had Akaashi gritting his teeth.

 

He felt…good.

 

_I feel like everything I ate this morning is gone from my stomach but I’m still not hungry. My body is more responsive than usual and I can see everything around me. I can tell how well I’m doing, too. The same goes for everyone else. Is this because of the barbecue? Hinata’s doing well. He’s not making any unnecessary movements. We just might…be able to pull off that new quick. But if we don’t…what will happen to this feeling?_

The ball came toward Tobio and he could see Hinata running from the corner of his eye. _Is he planning on doing it? But if we miss, the good atmosphere surrounding the team might shatter. We should just hold off on the new quick until the chances of success are higher…_

 

But something in him, something told him that Hinata was telling him that now was the time. Hinata was already in the air. He was ready. He knew he could do it.

 

The ball came down and without another thought, Tobio sent it toward Hinata. The new toss. The perfect toss.

 

And then it was slamming onto the floor before the other side even knew it had been hit.

 

They did it.

 

Tobio’s eyes flew to Hinata, who was already staring back at him. Both were completely shocked. And then, as one, they started cheering in excitement. Tobio could honestly say he had never felt so elated in his life. But still… “You have to be kidding me! If you’re going to do that, let me know sooner!”

 

“I just felt like we could pull it off! Didn’t you?”

 

“I did but it was too sudden! I’ve got to mentally prepare and stuff!”

 

“Who cares? We actually did it!”

 

Well, Tobio couldn’t argue with that. And the rest of the team was now coming up and congratulating the two, so he figured it wasn’t the time to continue the argument. They could sort it out later.

 

So they tried it again.

 

And failed.

 

The ball, once again, hit the floor between Tobio and Hinata.

 

Damn!

 

Hinata came up and lightly slapped Tobio on the back. “Don’t worry about it, Kageyama-kun!”

 

Not…helping… Tobio turned instantly and bore down on the other boy who instantly grabbed his arms to hold him back. “That pisses me off!”

 

“What else am I supposed to say?!”

 

Tobio huffed and backed away and Hinata just shrugged his shoulders at him. Fine. They would try again.

 

But they weren’t able to. Tobio had to receive a ball and…Noya jumped from the back line to set it. The ball went up and Asahi jumped, spiking from the back row. The ball flew out but Tobio was staring at the two in shock.

 

That…was new.

 

And something they could use.

 

And then a synchronized attack.

 

Tobio knew that they had been working on it. Of course he did. But…

 

It was something to witness.

 

Even he was unsure who he was going to toss the ball too.

 

Tanaka spiked the ball and Karasuno scored.

Yes!  


“Kageyama, nice toss!”

 

“Thank you!” Tobio bowed his head, a small smile pulling at his lips. They were finally coming back together, stronger and different than before. Better than they had been.

 

The game continued. Noya did another toss that Daichi spiked and scored. He and Hinata were able to synch once more for the new quick. And then…they were tied.

 

They were tied with Fukurōdani.

 

A time was called and Tobio hurried over to get his water bottle as Ukai began his speech. Then they hurried back to the court. They stayed tied until…they broke through. Karasuno had taken the lead! Tobio stared at the score with wide, surprised eyes. They did it! Just that little but had-

 

“Akaashi! Don’t toss to me anymore!” Tobio turned on his heel and stared at Bokuto who was kneeling on the ground. With his mouth hanging open, he turned his head slightly so he could see Akaashi’s response to the completely insane demand. But…

 

“All right,” Akaashi said easily and Tobio took a shocked step back. How could he just agree so easily to that? “Then please calm down in the time that I am not tossing to you.”

 

Tobio…had no idea what to think about that.

  
So he didn’t.

 

He had a game to win, anyway.

 

But that didn’t happen. Even with Bokuto not spiking, Fukurōdani was a hard team to beat. Akaashi even did a setter dump…right in front of Tobio. It was a bit embarrassing. In the end, the other team won 25 to 23 with Bokuto jumping to make the winning spike. Tobio saw a smirk paint Akaashi’s face as the ball slammed into the ground.

 

It was a bit…daunting.

 

He mentally reminded himself to never, ever, allow Akaashi and Oikawa to meet one another.

 

A chill ran up his spine at the thought.

 

He tuned out the speech they were given my Takeda – mostly because he never really understood what the man was saying anyway - and then it was time for their last penalty of diving drills. After that, they were able to cool down before it was time to eat. Tobio found himself standing at the door with Hinata during that time. “Damn, if we just had that quick a little more complete we might have been able to beat Fukurōdani,” he growled in irritation. It was annoying to lose such a close game – especially when you knew it was your fault.

 

No wonder Hinata wanted to hit the ball with his eyes open.

 

“But now we can fight,” Hinata responded calmly, taking a drink from his water bottle. “Even if they read us or catch up to us. We can fight”  


But the words didn’t make Tobio feel any better. He scowled and hunched forward. “That all depends on my tosses.”

 

“You’ll get it eventually, so it’ll be fine.”

 

“Don’t decide things for me!”  
  
Hinata turned and walked back into the gym and Tobio followed after him angrily. “Are you saying you won’t be able to?”

 

“Of course I’ll be able to, dumbass!”  


“So you can!”

 

Well…fine. “Let’s go practice that quick!”

 

“Yeah!”

 

Tobio and Hinata hurried toward an open court and Yachi joined them soon enough. She threw the ball their way over and over, not once complaining as the two practiced. They were getting…closer. At least they didn’t miss every single time. Just…about half. Or a bit less than half. Maybe.

 

Tobio decided just to go with half. It was easier.

 

And then they were all getting called outside and Tobio ran forward. He was starving. And…where was his team? He spotted Tsukishima speaking to Akaashi and another member of Fukurōdani. Someone he hadn’t bothered to learn the name of. He felt uncomfortable interrupting them. Hinata was with Bokuto. Odd how that kept happening. The third years, as usual, were together but seemed to be talking to some of the third years from Nekoma. So…Tobio just stood there, no idea where he should be going. Luckily, Coach Nekomata called for quiet and everyone gathered around him. “Well done on the week-long training camp, everyone! Nothing puts a smile on your face more than filling your stomach with good food! Eat all the meat you can!”

 

Everyone hurried over to the grills and Tobio was once again beside Hinata. Good. It was more comfortable this way. “Thank you for the food!” Everyone yelled as they began to pull pieces of meat onto their plates.

 

Tobio grabbed as much as he could, not wanting to have to fight for more later, and began to scoop it into his mouth. He instantly began to choke, a piece getting lodged in his throat. A cup of water was held out to him instantly and he took it quickly. It wasn’t until after his problem was fixed that he saw the person that had handed him the water was Akaashi. “Hello, Kageyama-kun.”

 

Tobio flushed. “I – uh – thanks.”

 

“No problem. But you might want to be more careful and chew your food before swallowing.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

A small smile ghosted over Akaashi’s face and his eyes flickered over Tobio’s shoulder. Tobio turned his head to see Hinata speaking to Bokuto. Again. “Those two seem to be getting along well.”

 

“I guess,” Tobio muttered with a frown. He knew that Hinata had been practicing with the Fukurōdani captain and sitting with him at meals, but he hadn’t thought they were particularly close.  

 

“That was an amazing quick you pulled off today,” Akaashi said, easily changing the subject. “It was surprising. It will really shock people once you work out the…difficulties.”

 

Tobio fought back a sigh as his shoulders hunched. “Yeah. I just…don’t know why I keep missing.”

 

“Probably because you are human, Kageyama-kun,” Akaashi said softly with a soft look in his eyes. “And humans make mistakes. And we learn. I have no doubt you and Hinata-kun will soon have completely mastery over that particular attack. I would rather not have it used against me when you do.”

 

Tobio glanced up and saw the amusement on the other boy’s face. “I…thank you, Akaashi-san.”

 

Akaashi shrugged one shoulder. “I am just telling the truth, Kageyama-kun.” He took a bite of the meat he still had on his plate (Tobio was jealous – his own plate was empty) and then slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “Would you like to keep in contact after the camp? It would be nice to talk to you.”

 

Tobio’s eyes widened. Akaashi wanted to…keep in contact with him? Talk to him? Like outside of volleyball? He…couldn’t remember the last time someone had wanted to do that. Or the last time someone had asked for his contact information. His team had it because it was on the contact list for each player. He slipped the phone out of Akaashi’s hand before the other boy could change his mind and placed his information inside. Akaashi watched him with a quirked brow as he did so but he didn’t say anything when Tobio handed the phone back. “Thank you, Kageyama-kun. Now, I suppose you should answer those before your soulmates become worried.”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed and he followed Akaashi’s gaze. He let out a surprised gasp as he saw his arms, which had been clear only moments ago, were now covered with words and drawings. What the… “Sorry, Akaashi-san. Do you have a pen?”

 

Tobio looked at the older boy to see he was already holding one out with a smirk. Tobio took it gratefully and stepped away from the crowded areas to focus on whatever it was his idiotic soulmates thought they were doing.

 

 _Tobio-chan! You’re coming home today, right?! What time? Iwa-chan and I can meet you at Karasuno!_  
  


_Tobio-chan!_

**He’s probably playing. Leave him alone.**

_NO!_

_Tobio-chan!!!!!!!!!!_

_Answer me!!!!!!_

**Stop it! You’re literally just making graffiti on my arms!**

_I’ll show you graffiti!_

Well, Tobio supposed that explained the various lines and…horrible drawings that covered his left arm from his shoulder down. He groaned. It was too hot for him to wear a jacket right now. Oh well. He could cover himself up once he got on the bus.

 

**_We’re eating now then cleaning up. Drive back after that._ **

****

The words were small – they had to be with the mess Oikawa was making. He hoped they were seen before Oikawa decided his…whatever it was…needed another wing. Or leg. Maybe that was an arm?

 

He wasn’t sure how long he spent staring at the drawings that kept appearing but it must have been awhile because Daichi appeared in front of him and told him it was time to clean everything up. Tobio stood without a word and moved down to help the rest of the teams. With all of them working together, it didn’t take long at all for everything to be thrown away or cleaned. And then Karasuno was grabbing their bags and walking toward the parking lot. “It was nice to meet you, Kageyama-kun. I will be sure to message you soon.”

 

“I – yeah. You too.”

 

Tobio turned to walk toward the bus but something caught his eye. Something…

 

No.

 

His breath became short as he caught a familiar pair of eyes.

 

Furious eyes.

 

Eyes that swept him from head to foot and then landed on his exposed arms.

 

Arms that were covered writing and other things.

 

Arms that someone was currently teasing him about.

 

No.

 

“Kageyama-kun? Are you alright?”

 

No.

 

No, he really, really wasn’t.

 

She was coming closer. Closer.

 

It was getting harder to breathe.

 

He couldn’t _breathe_.

 

“Tobio. You are coming with me. Now.”

 

_No._


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you guys blew me away last chapter! So many comments from both old and new readers...thank you so much! I'm glad everyone still likes this story! Well, onward!

Her hand closed around his wrist and Tobio instinctively tried to pull back. He couldn’t get free. Her hold tightened and her nails dug into his skin, surely drawing blood. Tobio barely noticed as he struggled to get air into his lungs. Why was she here? Why now? Now when he was breaking her rule and wearing short sleeves. Now when it was obvious his soulmates and he were in contact. Now…

 

…when everyone was staring at him.

 

“Tobio! Now!”

 

“Uh, excuse me?” Tobio turned wide, hopeful eyes on Takeda. The teacher’s gaze was fixed firmly on Tobio’s mother. “You must be Kageyama-san. I’m sorry but we-“

 

“Tobio is coming with me,” his mother snapped and Tobio watched as Takeda took a surprised step back. Yes. Yes, he should step back. No reason for him to be caught in this mess. It wasn’t his to deal with.

  
“Of course that is you right as his mother- “

 

“It is. You appear to be leaving. Tobio will be staying here.”

 

“Kageyama-san-“

 

“He’s my son. You do not have any say in whether I take him with me or not.”

 

“Let’s calm down,” Coach Ukai said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced between Tobio and his mother. Tobio knew he must look terrified. He felt terrified. He…he couldn’t…

 

What was happening?

 

Why was she here?

 

His mouth opened and he struggled to get air into his lungs but nothing was working. Black spots began to swim in front of his eyes. He…he was shaking. His palms were sweating. He couldn’t…he just couldn’t…

 

He didn’t even notice when he fell to his knees, struggling for air. There were various shouts around him but he couldn’t distinguish any of the voices. Someone was kneeling in front of him. More screaming.

 

And then…

 

Something hit him across the face. His head flew to the side so hard that it pulled his weak, shaky body with it. His side slammed into the ground and instinctively curled up into a ball, trying to protect himself from whatever this was. His cheek stung. Why were they _screaming_?!

 

And then he heard them.

 

Voices.

 

Familiar voices.

 

The ones he wanted to hear more than anything in this moment.

 

“Tobio! TOBIO!” Tobio focused in on the voices that were screaming his name but it was as if he was under water. Everything was muffled. He couldn’t hear them clearly. “Tobio! You need to breathe! And then tell us what the hell is going on!” The voice had an unusual airy quality to it. Wait. It wasn’t supposed to sound like that.

 

“Kageyama! Daichi, what the hell is happening?!”

 

More voices but Tobio couldn’t make out what they were saying. And then someone was touching him. He tried to scramble away from the pressure but the person held his shoulders in place and forced him to look up. Golden brown eyes. Glasses. Light hair. The person said something.

 

But Tobio couldn’t hear it.

 

They said something again and looked into Tobio’s incomprehensive expression before turning their head sideways and saying something else. And then something was suddenly in their hand.

 

They their arm and moved it toward Tobio’s face.

 

He flinched back.

 

“Tobio! We can’t breathe!” Oh. It was that voice again. Wait.

 

_Breathe._

 

“Kageyama! Focus!”

 

_Breathe._

Tobio sucked in air and his lungs began to burn. He repeated the process despite the pain. He had to. He wasn’t the only person hurting.

 

They were too.

 

Because of him.

 

“That’s it. Keep breathing, Tobio-chan.”

 

“In and out, keep going.”  


So Tobio did. He listened to the voices as they talked to him. He followed what they said. And, soon enough, he let out a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes in defeat.

 

It had happened again.

 

In front of some of best schools in Tokyo. In front of his team. In front of a person he might have actually been able to call a friend.

 

The thought almost made him stop breathing yet again.

 

And then he thought of why it happened in the first place.

 

His eyes flew open and he looked around frantically. His team was gathered around him, forming some sort of shield so no one could see. Tobio thought he saw Kuroo, Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kenma as part of that crowd. Tsukishima was kneeling beside him, holding the phone to his ear. Suga was on the other side, biting his lip.

 

And his mother was nowhere to be seen.

 

Probably because they were blocking her from his sight.

 

“Tobio? Are you okay now?”

 

Tobio couldn’t speak but he nodded his head. Not that it did much good for the people on the phone. “He’s nodding,” Tsukishima said his tone just slightly louder than usual.

 

“So no,” Oikawa muttered and he let out a breathless kind of sigh. Tobio wondered if he was still trying to catch his breath as well.

 

“Kageyama, you have to tell us what’s going on. What happened? Is everything okay?”

 

No. Nothing was okay. Why was she here? Was she going to pull him from Karasuno? Would he ever be able to see Iwaizumi or Oikawa again? What was he going to do-

 

“Tobio! Stop it! Take a deep breath!”

 

Tobio did so instantly and closed his eyes to try and hide the tears that were threatening to fall. “Daichi, we really need some answers here!” Iwaizumi practically yelled.

 

But Daichi didn’t respond. There was some muffled cursing the sound of shuffling. Tobio forced his eyes open and watched in terror as the group around him slowly began to part. “Thank you. You boys go back to your business now. Go on.”  


It was an old woman with graying hair that was pulled back in a bun. She was sending everyone a stern yet friendly look that had most of them obeying her instantly. But Tsukishima, Daichi, Suga, and Hinata didn’t move. Tsukishima shifted a bit closer to Tobio and eyed the woman warily. Hinata had crossed his arms and stepped in front of Tobio. Daichi and Suga didn’t move but they both kept their eye on her as well. The woman looked at the four with a mixture of irritation and satisfaction. “You boys too. Let me see my grandson.”

 

…her what now?

 

The only grandmother he had had been his mother’s mom. She had passed away years ago. So this woman…

 

…was fixing him with a startling familiar stare. A stare that shared the same eyes he saw every time he looked into the mirror.

 

“Grandmother?” Tsukishima drawled, glancing at Tobio. Tobio shrugged in confusion and defeat. He had no idea.

 

“Yes, grandmother. Now, you boys go with that Coach of yours. I’ll take care of this. And thank those boys on the phone. I’ll be speaking with them later.”

 

Tobio opened his mouth to protest but no sound came out. He could only watch as Daichi slowly took the phone from Tsukishima and began to speak to Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Hinata was still standing with his arms over his chest, obviously not planning on moving, but Tsukishima and Suga both grabbed one of his shoulders and forced him away. Tobio, who was still on the ground, struggled to get to his feet. If he was going to face this woman alone, he would rather do it standing.

 

“Oh, just look at you,” the woman said once he was finally on his feet. She stood a head shorter than him but seemed to be much bigger. Thos startlingly blue eyes flickered from his head down to his feet and paused on his arm. His decorated arm. “Oh, someone was either very bored or trying to get your attention,” she chuckled. Her eyes once again met his. “Oh, don’t look so terrified. I’m Hara Makiko, your father’s mother.”

 

Tobio just stared at her. His father’s mother? But…he didn’t even know his father. Why would this woman be here?

 

And with his mother?

 

“Hara-san!” Tobio flinched and instantly cowed in on himself at the sharp, familiar tone. He looked up in uncertainty and saw his mother stomping toward them, her expression furious. He flinched. “I told you not to-“

 

“I have never listened to a word you said. What makes you think I would start now?” Hara Makiko asked sharply, turning a ferocious glare on Tobio’s mother. Tobio watched in shock as his mother’s mouth snapped shut. “Do not think I am not infuriated with you, Ayame. To keep something like this a secret for fifteen years…and to do _this_! I should slap you.”

 

A secret? What secret? Fifteen years…

 

Was she talking about him?

 

“Your son-“

 

“Met his soulmate,” Tobio’s apparent grandmother said, cutting his mother off once again. “I told you when the two of you came to me all those years ago that the two of you would separate when you met the person you were supposed to be with. But you were adamant that I was wrong. That does not excuse what you have done.”

 

Tobio’s mother’s hands clenched into fists. Tobio took a quick step back. His grandmother, not missing the action, sent him a sharp look before turning glacier like eyes onto his mother once more. “It seems we have a few things to discuss, Ayame.” She turned her attention to both Takeda and Ukai that seemed to be hovering over his mother. “I believe you were getting ready to drive back to Miyagi. Don’t worry about Tobio. He’ll be safe with me and I’ll make sure he returns to you in perfect health.”

 

“Hara-san!”  


“Keep your mouth _shut_ , Ayame.”

 

Tobio’s mind flew through the information he had just heard. The only information he had about his father was what he had overheard all those years ago. That his father had left his mother when she was pregnant because he had found his soulmate. But…what his grandmother had said. Keeping a secret for fifteen years. The fact that she was telling Ukai and Takeda that he would be returned.

 

Had his father not left his mother like she had claimed?

 

Ukai and Takeda exchanged a look and Ukai let out a groan. “Alright. They have tomorrow off but school resumes the next day. I hope to see him in practice then.” He sent both Tobio’s mother and grandmother a look that said he had better see Tobio then, before sending Tobio a small smile. Then he and Takeda moved toward the bus, telling the team to load up. Most of the team seemed reluctant to do so, Noya and Tanaka both yelling their displeasure, but they eventually did so.

 

“Tobio, grab your things. We’re going,” his mother hissed. “And put on a jacket!”

 

“A jacket? Do you want the boy to get heat stroke?” his grandmother let out a tsk of annoyance. Tobio grabbed his bag from where it had been dropped when he saw his mother approaching him and then slowly followed the two women toward the car. His mother slid into the drivers’ seat and her knuckles instantly turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. Tobio sat in the back while his grandmother took the front seat. “To my house, Ayame.”

 

His mother scowled, “Your house is the furthest-“

 

“If you think I am letting this boy out of my sight and alone with you, you are sorely mistaken. He will be staying with me tonight and will return to Miyagi tomorrow.”

 

“He is _not_ -!”

 

“Drive!”

 

His mother’s mouth snapped close and she scowled as she threw the car into gear. They drove in silence, Tobio’s hands clenched at the hostile atmosphere. He didn’t like this. He wished he was on the bus. On the bus, driving back to Karasuno, where Oikawa and Iwaizumi were waiting for him. But he was here. With his mother and a woman that was claiming to be his grandmother. Iwaizumi and Oikawa were nowhere in sight.

 

He didn’t want to be here.

 

Finally, the pulled up in front of a traditional looking house. Tobio slowly climbed out of the car, his grandmother already at the gate. His mother was following him. Too closely. Tobio sped up and quickly stepped up beside the older woman. She seemed safer than his mother.

 

“Put your bag down, I’ll get everything washed before you go,” his grandmother said as they stepped inside. Tobio bowed his head and placed the bag gently on the floor and then stepped out of his shoes. His mother slammed the door behind her as she walked in and Tobio hurriedly moved further into the house after his grandmother. “Sit,” the woman demanded when she saw him. She then scowled over Tobio’s shoulder. “If you break my door I will make you buy a new one. You sit too.”

 

Tobio’s body tensed as his mother began to sit beside him but his grandmother clapped her hands in irritation. “Not there! Over there!”

 

Tobio’s mother began to mutter furiously under her breath but did as she was told. Once she was settled in a seat his grandmother approved, the conversation began. “I will be taking custody of Tobio.”

 

“Now see here-“

 

“It is obvious that you are not fit to take care of the boy. I will turn this into a court issue if I must.”

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open. Court? Custody? But…but he didn’t want to live in Tokyo. He was happy in Miyagi. He had his team. He had Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

  
He didn’t want to leave.

 

“Tobio is _my_ son.”

 

“He is also the son of my late son.”

 

 _Late son?_ The words rang through Tobio’s head. His father…was dead?

 

He was so confused.

 

“Your son left-“

 

“He left you. He was not aware of the child you were carrying. If he had known, he would have made sure to give the boy a proper home life. One which you apparently haven’t been able to provide. I will be taking custody and remedying that immediately.”

 

Tobio’s mother jumped to her feet and her eyes narrowed dangerously. “I will not be pushed around by you! Not anymore! Tobio will be returning with me. He will be staying in Tokyo and he will-“

 

“-be doing none of those things.” The older woman’s lips curled up into a cruel smile and Tobio’s jaw clenched.

 

Maybe he wasn’t any safer around her.

 

“Based on the boy’s reaction to seeing you, I have no doubt I can find proof to substantiate abuse. I will not hesitate in turning the information over. He will be pulled from your care and the information will be spread through your workplace. Through your husband’s workplace.” _Husband? They got married? I wasn’t even told._ “Your reputation will be ruined. That’s what was always important to you, was it not? Appearances?”

 

Tobio’s mother was shaking in anger but she didn’t bother to say another word. Tobio turned his eyes away from her. He hated this. If felt like she was going to come after him at any moment. Like she would suddenly leap across the room and he would be helpless to stop her.

 

The older woman didn’t turn her eyes away from Tobio’s mother as she placed some paper and a pen on the table. “I have already taken care of the arrangements. Sign the paperwork, Ayame.”

 

Tobio watched his mother from the corner of his eye. He saw her jaw clench. Saw the way she glared at the paperwork. “I will not be paying for anything. The allowance I give him will stop.”

 

“Agreed.”

 

“He will move out of my family home.”

 

“Agreed.”

 

Tobio’s head jerked up. No! He couldn’t leave Miyagi!

 

This couldn’t be happening to him.

 

Not now.

 

Not when he finally found his place.

 

When he was finally with a team that trusted him.

 

When Iwaizumi and Oikawa were giving him a chance.

  
Not now.

 

“You will not contact me.”

 

“As you wish.”

 

It was only then that his mother leaned down and began to sign her name to the paperwork.

 

And Tobio was left feeling as if his world was changing around him yet again and he had no clue how to stop it.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We might need to add another chapter onto that chapter total I gave you all! Lol. This was actually supposed to be part of last chapter but...I didn't finish it until this morning. So it's a bit short. 
> 
> Also, you are all amazing! I had a horrible headache last night and I ended up going to bed early - only to wake up to a mass of comments in my inbox! Thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy this...just remember, it's short!
> 
> Oh, and some of you figured it out before I even finished typing this chapter! Good for you! :)

Tobio could only watch as his mother turned on her heel and left. He didn’t know what to think. Or what to feel. He was happy his mother was leaving. Upset that she didn’t even think of fighting for him. Worried about what was going to happen next. Longing for Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Wishing that someone was there to tell him what was going on so he could just stop all of this from running through his head.

 

He didn’t know what to do.

 

“Well, that’s done with,” his grandmother muttered, taking the papers and standing. She shuffled over to a small desk and placed the papers his mother had just signed into a manila envelope. She let out a huff of satisfaction and turned back toward Tobio, her hands on her hips. “Now, I suppose you have questions. Ask away.”

 

Tobio gaped at her. Questions. Yes…yes, he had many questions. But…

 

“I – I don’t know-“

 

The woman nodded as if she had been expecting the answer. “How about some tea? That should help calm your nerves.” She bustled away and Tobio just stared after her in helplessness. It was as if his mind had completely shut down. Well, his mind was still working. But his wires between his brain and mouth seemed to have been cut.

 

He could only sit there and wish that he had any idea what was going on as he waited for the woman – his grandmother – to return. She did so eventually and placed a cup of tea in front of Tobio on the table. “Drink that, now. It will help.”

 

Tobio leaned forward and lifted the cup to his lips. The warm liquid did seem to help. He hadn’t even been aware of how tight his muscles had been until he finally relaxed back against the chair. His grandmother watched him in satisfaction as he did so. “Good. Now, I suppose I’ll start.” She took a sip of her tea. “Your mother and my son met when they were in high school.”

 

Tobio opened his mouth to ask a question but snapped it shut instantly. It wouldn’t do to interrupt her already. However, his grandmother had stopped speaking and was looking at him expectedly. “Yes?” she encouraged.

 

Tobio swallowed hard. “I…your son. What was his name?”

 

His grandmother’s eyes widened and Tobio flinched at the flash of malice he saw there. “Oh, that woman has a lot to answer for. I shouldn’t have let her off so easily,” she muttered and Tobio felt relieved that she didn’t seem to be angry at him. “My son. Hara Taku. Your father.”

 

_Hara Taku._

 

Tobio had never known.

 

“They met during high school and became close,” his grandmother continued. “I never approved of the relationship but he wouldn’t listen to me. Your grandfather said he could make his own choices so I let it go. The two continued their relationship into college. It was during their second year that Taku met his soulmate. I had told the two that they didn’t truly understand how connected you felt to your soulmate. That it was almost impossible to have no contact with them after you met. But neither of them listened. Your father tried to make the relationship with your mother work,” she said with a small sigh. “But the more he got to know Maeko the harder it was. He began to see Ayame in a different light. In the end, he decided to end the relationship with your mother.”

 

Tobio figured Maeko was his father’s soulmate. The one that he left his mother for. And yet…could he really blame his father for that? If he had been in a relationship with someone before he met Iwaizumi and Oikawa, would he have been able to continue on as if nothing had happened? Would he have really wanted to?

 

He didn’t know.

 

“It was after the relationship ended that Taku realized Ayame was no longer attending school. He went to her family home to speak with her but she and her parents were gone. He did not hear from her again and was completely unaware that Ayame was pregnant.”

 

Tobio’s teeth ground together. From what he had overheard years ago, his mother had said that his father left when she was pregnant with Tobio. But he didn’t remember her saying that she had actually told his father that fact. Was it true? Had his father never known about him?

 

“Taku and Maeko married two years later, after they both graduated. Taku had a job teaching at a local school. But he never got to start,” his grandmothers head lowered and she closed her eyes in defeat. “He and Maeko were going to take the weekend before the semester started and go on a small trip. Their car crashed on the way. Neither survived.”

 

Tobio’s throat grew dry as he processed the words. As a child, he thought his father had died. But then after he heard his mother’s conversation, he realized that his father was alive and had just not wanted anything to do with him. But now…now it was as if his world view was being shifted yet again. His father hadn’t left him. Hadn’t abandoned him to his mother. His father hadn’t known about him. And he wasn’t alive somewhere, living with a wife and family. His father had died a year after Tobio had been born.

“I would have never known of your existence if it wasn’t for your cousin,” his grandmother said fondly, reaching over the table and placing a soft hand over Tobio’s.

 

…hang on…

 

“Cousin?” Tobio questioned. He didn’t have a cousin. His mother was an only child.

 

His grandmother smiled. “My daughter, Kayda’s son. She and her husband live only a few minutes away with Keiji.”

 

“Keiji…” Tobio trailed off. Why did that sound familiar?

 

“He has seen pictures of my Taku often. And Kayda and Taku always looked like one another,” grandmother said with a small smile. “He saw the resemblance right away. Came to visit me shortly after those practice matches of his weeks ago. I couldn’t believe it at first but I did some digging. Keiji had told me that you would be at the training camp. I managed to find your birth records and your mothers…current residence. And when Keiji told me of his suspicions… well, that’s all behind us now.”

 

Tobio’s head was spinning. What suspicions? Keiji…his cousin? Why did he know that name?

 

“I best be telling them that everything worked out,” his grandmother said happily with a clap of her hands. “They want to meet you. Of course, Keiji seemed very upset this afternoon. I’m sure he would like to know that you are alright.”

 

Wait, he was going to meet them today? Now? A family he didn’t know that he had? A cousin that he had already met and didn’t know? Someone at the training camp…did they think he was weird? Did they pity him?

 

Tobio shook his head and tried to clear those thoughts. He had something else to focus on. “Wh-about school.”

 

His grandmother frowned. “What about it?”

 

Tobio’s hands twined together and he avoided her gaze. “I…like my school. My team…”

 

“Yes. They seem like a good group of young men,” his grandmother nodded in confirmation. Her eyes focused on him. “What are you trying to say, child? Speak.”

 

Tobio swallowed. “I…don’t want to leave them. And…Iwaizumi and Oikawa are there…”

 

“Oh,” his grandmother said in surprise and then Tobio’s eyes flew to her as she began to laugh. “Oh, my dear child. I won’t take you away from them.”

 

“But…she said I had to leave…”

 

“She said you had to leave that house,” his grandmother clarified and Tobio frowned. “I expected this outcome. Kaito, Kayda’s husband and Keiji’s father, has spent the last few days in Miyagi finding proper living arrangements. It is a small apartment but I do hope it is satisfactory until you graduate. I will be visiting often, of course.”

 

Tobio’s mouth dropped. He…wasn’t leaving Miyagi? She had found him another place to live?

 

He could stay?

 

“Now, I will expect regular phone calls. And you will be visiting here when you have time. I want to meet these boys of yours as well. Keiji refused to tell me anything,” she grumbled the last part. “Let’s get you settled in for the night. You can share the room Keiji uses when he stays the night. Maybe the two of you would like to stay together at some point. You’re close in age, after all. I hope the two of you will be friends. Keiji is such a nice boy but he doesn’t seem to be close to many people.”

 

Tobio wonders if she’ll be disappointed when she knows his own situation with friends. With people in general. When she finds out what happened to him in junior high. But he didn’t protest as she showed him to a room down the hall. He wished he had something to change into. His clothes were the same ones he had practiced in earlier that day and his bag was full of the same.

 

What a way to meet your family for the first time.

 

Tobio’s shoulders tensed as he heard voices from down the hall and then the sound of footsteps. He jumped when a nock sounded on his door. Hesitantly, Tobio reached out and pulled the door open.

 

It was Akaashi.

 

Akaashi _Keiji_.

 

Oh.

 

Akaashi’s lips twitched up slightly as his eyes landed on Tobio.  “Kageyama-kun,” he greeted as he held out a bag. “I thought you might need these. We look about the same size.” Tobio reached out automatically, taking the bag from the older boy – his cousin- and looking inside. A pair of jeans and a shirt. Oh. Right. Clothes.

 

He needed those.

 

“Thank you,” Tobio muttered.

 

“The bath is across the hall.” He hesitated. “Do you need me to call someone? Oikawa-san? Or…Iwaizumi-san? I’m sure they are worried.”

 

Right. After this afternoon the two were sure to be frantic. Wordlessly, Tobio nodded and pointed to where he had placed his phone on the desk before he hurried across the hall into the bathroom. He stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower, calming as the water descended on him. Akaashi was his cousin. Was that the reason the other boy had been so nice to him during the training camp? He hoped not. But…with his history…maybe.

 

Who was he kidding? Of course, that’s what happened.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there under that hot water but he figured he had better get out before someone came to check on him. He stepped out and dried himself off and quickly placed on the clothes Akaashi had brought him. The older boy was right – they did fit him.

 

Tobio opened his door and stepped out into the hall. Akaashi was leaning against the opposing wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Tobio blinked at him in surprise. “I was wondering how long you would be,” Akaashi said, standing up straight. He handed Tobio his phone. “They want you to call them later. They didn’t seem very happy to hear from me –especially the loud one. I’m going to assume that was Oikawa-san.”

 

“Probably,” Tobio agreed, slipping the phone into his pocket. Though he could see Iwaizumi being called loud as well. But, well, it was more likely Oikawa. Especially when they were talking to someone they didn’t know.

 

Akaashi nodded his head. “I suppose we should talk.”

 

Tobio shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk.

 

“I did not speak to you because you look like my uncle,” Akaashi said bluntly. “Actually, you are the one that approached me.”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed. Well, that was true. But that didn’t mean that the other boy hadn’t continued to talk to him because of it. “I am not one to do something I don’t want to do, Kageyama-kun. Whether you turned out to be my cousin or not, I did enjoy our conversations. I hope you can trust in that.”

 

Tobio didn’t respond as his cousin walked away from him down the hall until he was finally out of sight.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, next chapter! Yay! lol. I hope you guys enjoy. It isn't really a great chapter but it moves us further along.

Tobio was sitting at a table with his grandmother on one side of him and Akaashi on another, his father’s sister and her husband across from him. He kept his eyes down, focusing on his plate as the conversation continued on around him. He had answered the few questions he had been asked, questions about his school and volleyball, about his soulmates, and his friends. Akaashi had stepped in a few times when Tobio had trouble getting the words out of his mouth.

 

He was thankful.

 

They seemed to realize that he was uncomfortable because they quickly switched the conversation to things going on in their own lives. Tobio was surprised that Akaashi spoke just as little as Tobio. His grandmother and Kayda, Tobio’s aunt, seemed to carry on the conversation on their own. Tobio listened to the two as the spoke, picking up information from what they said. Kayda was a lawyer that seemed to work with businesses. Her husband was an accountant. She spoke of Keiji, that his school marks were high and that he seemed to be getting along well with the boys on his team. Tobio glanced at his cousin as he was discussed but he didn’t look up. He seemed to be used to it.

 

His grandmother told Tobio that Keiji would surely be able to help him if he needed it and Tobio just nodded his head quickly. He wasn’t going to disappoint this woman. He didn’t want her to react to his marks the same way his mother had done. What if she decided he wasn’t worth the effort?

 

He didn’t want her to give up on him.

 

“We will go to Miyagi in the morning and pack Tobio’s things,” his grandmother said a bit later to Kayda. “And get him moved to the apartment Kaito found.” She turned a pleased smile onto the quiet man beside Kayda. “It is lovely. I appreciate you doing so.”

 

Kaito bowed his head and gave the older woman a smile reminiscent of his son. It was just a small upturn of the lips but the intention was clear.

 

“I’m sure Keiji would be able to help,” Kayda said to her mother and Tobio saw Akaashi glance finally glance up with interest. Tobio wondered if it was because he actually wanted to help or just because this was a different conversation than he was used to.

 

His grandmother waved the offer away, “No, no. I’m sure Keiji has things to complete before he returns to school. Tobio’s young men will help us.”

 

…well, Tobio wondered how Oikawa and Iwaizumi would feel about _that_. He heard a muffle snicker from beside him and turned his head just slightly to see Akaashi’s hand covering his mouth and his shoulders shaking just slightly. Good to know that his cousin hadn’t even met his soulmates yet and was already thinking the same thing as Tobio.

 

And wasn’t that thought just terrifying? _Yet_. Hadn’t he already told himself to keep Oikawa and Akaashi away from each other? And now, here he was, wondering just how long such a thing would be possible.

 

“You tell them we’ll be in early,” his grandmother said pointedly to Tobio. “We need boxes to move your things as well. They can be waiting for us.”

 

Oh, Oikawa was going to be furious.

 

But…maybe Iwaizumi would comply with the request?

 

And drag Oikawa with him.

 

Akaashi’s hand finally dropped to his side and his face was once again the stoic mask he usually wore but Tobio could see his eyes twinkling as he glanced up at him. Tobio just stared back at him hopelessly and Akaashi’s head ducked once again. “Is something funny?”

 

“Not at all,” Akaashi responded, all laughter disappearing from his face. “I’m sure Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san will be thrilled.”

 

Kayda’s eyebrows rose as she glanced between her son and Tobio. Her own lips turned up slightly. “So, Tobio, your soulmates go to a different school, correct? And they play volleyball as well? Have you played against them?”

 

Tobio nodded and thought back to the last game. He shuddered as he remembered the ball slamming to the floor after Oikawa had so easily read him. “They attend Aoba Johsai, a powerhouse school in Miyagi. We lost to them during Inter High.”

 

“That must have been difficult,” his aunt responded. “Did you know them well at the time?”

 

Tobio shifted a bit in his seat. “We went to junior high together.”

 

She tilted her head to the side and her brows furrowed. “Yet you did not attend the same high school?”

 

Tobio thought back to the torn acceptance letter. To the ball falling as the boys from his team turned away from him. To Oikawa’s look of disgust. “I…no. I didn’t,” Tobio muttered, not wanting to go into the details of why he hadn’t.

 

His aunt looked at him curiously for a moment but she didn’t question him any further. Tobio let out a mental sigh of relief. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Tobio-kun,” Kayda said as the meal ended and she stood. “I’m afraid I have files to review before tomorrow so I’ll have to leave. I look forward seeing you again soon. I suppose you’ll be visiting regularly?”

 

She didn’t say this to Tobio, instead she looked toward her mother. The older woman nodded once. “Yes. He will come to Tokyo between his studies and practice. I will be going to Miyagi as well.”

 

“Good,” Kayda said firmly as she smiled at Tobio once more. “Then we will see each other soon. Do not hesitate to contact us if anything is needed. I suppose you have Keiji’s information?” Tobio nodded in conformation. “Good. Have a good night and I hope everything goes well in the morning.” She looked at her mother once more. “Let us know if you change your mind and would like Keiji to accompany you.”

 

“We’ll be fine.”

 

Kayda and her husband left and Akaashi merely rose from his chair and began to gather the dishes. Tobio, seeing the move, quickly stood as well and began to help him. Their grandmother merely smiled and stood before slowly shuffling out of the room. Tobio and Akaashi worked together in silence and were soon standing by the sink, Akaashi washing the dishes and Tobio drying. “I will come tomorrow if it will make you more comfortable,” Akaashi said suddenly, his voice soft.

 

Tobio shook his head. “It will be fine. I’m sure Iwaizumi-san will help.”

 

“And Oikawa-san?”

 

Tobio didn’t respond. In truth, he was sure that Oikawa would at least come to the house but he wasn’t sure how much good the older boy would do. He’d probably get into some sort of argument with Tobio’s grandmother and then stomp off in a huff. “I…don’t know.”

 

Akaashi just hummed and continued with the dishes. He and Tobio finished quickly and Akaashi bid him a good night before going to say the same to his grandmother. Tobio moved toward the room he was staying in and pulled his phone from his pocket. Hadn’t Akaashi said they wanted him to call? And his grandmother was fully expecting the two to be there in the morning, so he really did need to talk to them. He let out a deep sigh and brought a shaky hand up to press the buttons.

 

**_Calling Iwaizumi_ **

****

“Tobio? What’s going on?” Iwaizumi asked instantly, his voice a bit gruff. “I- wait, hold on. I know, Shittykawa! Give me a minute!”

 

There was muffled voices and then the phone beeped. Tobio supposed he was being put on speaker. “Tobio-chan! Who was that person?! I don’t like them!”

 

Person… “Oh. Akaashi-san?”

 

“Yes! That’s that setter you were talking about, right? Why was he calling us?!”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed. What exactly had happened when Akaashi called the two of them? “It’s a long story,” Tobio muttered.

 

“We heard some of it,” Iwaizumi cut in, Oikawa whining behind him. “Something about a grandmother? And your mother signing over custody?”

 

“No! Start at the beginning! What happened? One minute you were fine and the next Iwa-chan and I couldn’t breathe! And we called but you didn’t answer so I had to call Daichi _again,_ and then you hung up on us!”

 

Tobio winced and knew that he owed the two an explanation. A real explanation. With hesitation, he began the story, staring from the moment he saw his mother up until the dinner with his…family. Neither Iwaizumi or Oikawa said a word until he was done, though Tobio was sure he heard Oikawa’s sighs and irritated groans. Tobio wrapped up the explanation and the three boys sat in silence for just a moment.

 

“What time do you think you’ll be in?” Iwaizumi questioned. “We don’t have practice tomorrow anyway.”

 

“She just said early,” Tobio admitted.

 

“Well, that’s extremely helpful, thank you, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa muttered and Tobio could practically see him crossing his arms over his chest and pouting with irritation.

 

“It’s fine,” Iwaizumi said, seeming to ignore the temper tantrum Oikawa was throwing. “I…want you out of there as soon as possible, anyway. We’ll get some boxes and meet you there. I’m just glad you’re staying in Miyagi and not moving to Tokyo.” Tobio’s face flushed at the admission.

 

“Me too,” Tobio admitted.

 

“I think there are some things that we’re going to need to talk about but they can wait. Let’s get you settled in…did your grandmother mention where this apartment is?”

 

“No.”

 

Iwaizumi sighed softly. “Well, I guess we’ll find out tomorrow. Hopefully it’s close to Karasuno.” Tobio agreed but…he also hoped it wasn’t too far from the two boys he was speaking to. He had grown used to their usual visits during the week.

 

“Me too,” Tobio agreed yet again and he waited for Oikawa to make some sort of comment. But he didn’t. In fact, he hadn’t said anything in quite some time.

  
Tobio wondered if he should be worried about that.

 

“Get some sleep, Kageyama. We’ll see you in the morning.”

 

“Night.”

 

The phone disconnected, still without Oikawa saying a word, and Tobio placed his mobile on the table. He bit his lip and frowned, a bit worried about the sudden silence from the older boy. He shook his head and supposed there wasn’t any reason to worry about it. Oikawa was probably just stuck in his own head again. He would worry if the other boy was still acting odd in the morning.

 

Yet, despite his resolve, he still had trouble sleeping that night. The older boy kept invading his mind and Tobio wondered if Iwaizumi knew what was going on. If there was anything at all.

 

He did manage to get at least a few hours of sleep, probably a good thing since he was going to have a long day ahead of him.

 

His grandmother had been completely serious about leaving early – Tobio barely had time to eat the breakfast she had made and change his clothes (which his grandmother had washed) before they were heading out the door. His grandmother chattered the entire journey, telling him stories of his father when he was a young boy. Tobio found out that his father had actually played volleyball as well, though he had been a wing spiker. Tobio listened, completely enraptured. His father had been so…lively. His grandmother told how much trouble he got in, told stories about him with his close friends. Tobio wondered if his father would have been disappointed in him. He had never had friends or experiences like his father. The only thing they seemed to have in common was their appearance and the fact that they liked volleyball.

 

Tobio wasn’t sure if he felt happy or depressed by the time the train came to a stop and he led the way toward his house. His _former_ house. It took longer than he was used to, his grandmother didn’t seem to be able to move too quickly. Probably because she was old. Oh well. He just hoped Oikawa wouldn’t be in a bad mood when they finally arrived.

 

They finally turned onto Tobio’s street and Tobio couldn’t help but smile when he saw both Iwaizumi and Oikawa by his gate. Iwaizumi was standing, leaning against the side wall while Oikawa was sitting on the ground. They seemed to be chatting to one another, Oikawa letting out a small chuckle that had Tobio’s smile growing. He quickly lifted his hand to cover it, afraid of the reactions if anyone saw it. The movement caught Iwaizumi’s attention and he glanced over his shoulder. His curious expression melted into a smile when he caught sight of them. He reached down and grabbed Oikawa’s arm, hauling the surprised boy to his feet. It was kind of funny, seeing Iwaizumi move the taller boy around as if it didn’t take any effort. Though, Tobio supposed Iwaizumi was the stronger of the two, even if he wasn’t the taller.

 

“Kageyama!” Iwaizumi said loudly, waving as Tobio and his grandmother came closer to him. He instantly bowed. “Good morning. I’m Iwaizumi Hajime. Please to meet you.”

 

“Oh, such a nice boy,” Tobio’s grandmother said, reaching out and patting Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “I’m Hara Makiko. I hope you’re taking care of my grandson.”

 

“Of course we are,” Iwaizumi responded with a smile. His eyes glanced to the side as Oikawa came up to stand beside him. Tobio saw the taller boy give one of his brightest (and fakest) smiles toward his grandmother. The one that had most of the girls swooning.

 

“Ooh, this one’s a charmer,” his grandmother chortled.

 

“Hello,” Oikawa said brightly, earning an eye roll from Iwaizumi. “I’m Oikawa Tooru.” He bowed.

 

“Well, you sure are lucky, aren’t you Tobio?” his grandmother said with a pleased expression as her eyes moved over both Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Tobio’s face flushed in embarrassment at the words and obvious insinuation his grandmother was making.

 

“We’re the lucky ones, Hara-san,” Oikawa said as he flashed that smile once again. Tobio’s eyes flew to Iwaizumi and the two shared an exasperated glance. Oikawa sure was in rare form today. But his grandmother just chuckled and stepped away from Tobio to wrap her arm firmly around Oikawa’s.

 

“Well, take me to see this house my grandson has been living in.”

 

“Of course,” Oikawa agreed, holding out his hand for the keys. Tobio handed them to him willingly enough. If he wanted to play host, Tobio wasn’t going to stop him.

 

Oikawa and his grandmother began to walk and Tobio’s eyes once again moved to Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi just looked back at him and the two began to chuckle. “That’s what he gets,” Iwaizumi muttered. He took a step toward Tobio and then wrapped the younger boy in his arms. Tobio stiffened for a moment but quickly relaxed into the hold, his body relaxing against Iwaizumi’s and his arms coming up to wrap around the other boy’s waist. He let out a deep sigh, finally feeling a sense of peace he hadn’t felt for the last few days. “You alright?” Tobio hesitated at the question. Was he? Things just seemed to be happening so quickly. He wasn’t sure how he felt about everything. In truth, the only thing he wanted to do right now was a crappy movie on his bed as he curled up around Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Iwaizumi’s hand ran up his back. “I’m going to assume that’s a no,” Iwaizumi said softly and his arms tightened just a bit more. “As much as I would like to continue this, I really think we’re testing fate by leaving Oikawa alone with your grandmother.”

 

Tobio cracked a smile and pulled away, his arms falling at his sides. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “I suppose,” he muttered. Iwaizumi chuckled once more and placed a hand on Tobio’s back as they walked toward the house. The two stepped inside Tobio’s eyes flickered from one corner to the other, trying to find where Oikawa and his grandmother were. “All of his personal things will go,” he heard his grandmother’s voice from down the hall. “The furniture will stay. We made sure that the apartment was furnished before we signed the lease. Anything that is needed will be purchased.”

 

 “There isn’t much,” Oikawa confirmed as Tobio and Iwaizumi walked around the corner. He shot them both a relieved glance. “It shouldn’t take long to move though…how far is the apartment?”

 

“Close to the school,” his grandmother said, fishing a small notebook out of her purse and flipping it open. She showed Oikawa and address and the other boy slowly nodded.

 

“We’ll need a car of some sort,” he mused as his eyes moved around the room. “Good thing we brought help.” Tobio blinked and glanced around the room. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for – it was obvious no one else was there, but he was trying to find out just what this help was.   


“Matsukawa and Hanamaki went to get the boxes. Makki has a car,” Iwaizumi clarified. Tobio’s mind flashed to the two boys he had seen during the last match with Aoba Johsai. The two that Oikawa and Iwaizumi spoke of often. “They should be here any moment. Though knowing those two they stopped to get food or something on the way.”

 

Tobio’s grandmother was still looking around the room with a frown on her face. “There isn’t much, is there?” she sighed and Tobio flinched. It was true he didn’t have many possessions. He had spent most of the allowance his mother gave him on food and other household items. It wasn’t often he bought something for himself.

 

“Well,” his grandmother placed her bag on the bed and pushed up her sleeves. “Let’s get started.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, long week. Long, long week. Didn't have much time to write. I hope you guys like this chapter!

It really didn’t take them long to move Tobio’s things – mostly because, as his grandmother stated, he didn’t really have much. The apartment was close to Karasuno and not too far from the station, which meant that it wouldn’t be a long walk for Iwaizumi and Oikawa if they came to visit. It was small but perfectly acceptable for a single person. There was a small front room with a kitchen off to the side and a single bedroom. Tobio was able to meet Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s friends, the two third years from Aoba Johsai. He couldn’t say that he enjoyed the meeting, probably because he didn’t really understand half of the things the two boys said, but they smiled at him often so he supposed they didn’t hate him.

 

He was going to count that as a win.

 

His grandmother dragged Oikawa off to the store to buy food and other necessities that Tobio hadn’t taken from his mother’s house. Oikawa had shot both him and Iwaizumi a helpless look as the older woman gripped his wrist and pulled the much taller boy toward the door. Tobio had just stared back in hopelessness as Iwaizumi wiggled his fingers in a wave with a smirk on his face. Makki and Mattsun both laughed loudly from the couch and didn’t attempt to help their captain.

 

Makki and Mattsun both left before Oikawa and Tobio’s grandmother returned. They saluted Iwaizumi and challenged Tobio that they would be seeing him at the Spring Tournament. Tobio nodded seriously in response and they both shot him a grin before leaving. Iwaizumi just rolled his eyes.

 

“I think we’ve got everything settled,” Iwaizumi said as he stood in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips. His eyes slowly moved around the room.

 

Tobio nodded and sank onto the couch with a tired sigh. They hadn’t had to move much but the company had worn him out. Iwaizumi sat beside him a moment later and lifted his arm around Tobio’s shoulders. Tobio didn’t even hesitate before leaning to the side and pressing himself against older boy. Iwaizumi huffed in amusement before letting his arm fall a bit and tightening his hold around Tobio. “Are you really okay?” he asked after a moment of silence. Tobio nodded his head. At the moment he really felt that he was. He felt like a weight he had been carrying around for years was suddenly gone.

 

He felt free.

 

“We have things to talk about,” Iwaizumi reminded him and Tobio’s nose scrunched in distaste. It was finally over. He didn’t want to open that box yet again. “You know Oikawa isn’t going to let it go, either.”

 

Tobio sighed and closed his eyes. He knew he owed the two of them an explanation. He knew that they would have to talk about what had happened after the training camp. But…for the moment, he wanted to forget about all of it.

 

The door opened and Tobio’s eyes flew open in a panic. He quickly tried to pull away from Iwaizumi and sit up but the other boy’s arms tightened around him. Tobio’s eyes went wide as he looked at the third year but Iwaizumi just stared back at him calmly. “Oh, you two are just adorable,” his grandmother cooed as she walked into the room. She had two bags on her arm that she placed on the counter before she turned toward the door. “Oh, that boy…you’ll need to watch this one, Tobio. Get in here!”

 

Oikawa stumbled in a moment later, his arms covered with shopping bags and a box resting on his forearms. Tobio could barely see his eyes over the top of the box and he couldn’t help but notice how panicked the older boy looked. Iwaizumi laughed loudly, his arms falling from Tobio, and Tobio jumped to his feet to help Oikawa. He took the box from the other boy’s arms and staggered a bit under the weight before setting it on the small table. “Thank you, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa said loudly as he let the bags slide off of his arms and onto the counter. Tobio felt a moment of pain in his own arms and looked down to see multiple red rings on his arms from the shopping bag. They were much darker on Oikawa’s arms. “At least someone has manners,” the boy huffed as he glared at the still chuckling Iwaizumi.

 

“Everywhere we went, this boy had girls after him. All giggling and flipping their hair. They should be ashamed of themselves!” Tobio’s grandmother muttered. Tobio felt a pang of jealousy at the words. It was something he knew about, obviously. Something that Iwaizumi had learned to deal with over the years. But for Tobio, it was new. Well, new now that he knew that the other boy was his soulmate. He was sure he would grow used to it as well. He just wasn’t now. “And you!” She said, turning sharply toward Oikawa. The older boy’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her. Tobio felt himself tense and Iwaizumi slowly moved to his feet. “Encouraging them! As if you don’t have- “

 

“I’m well aware of what I have,” Oikawa said dangerously as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to remind me of that.”

 

“Tooru,” Iwaizumi muttered, taking a step forward.

 

But Oikawa wasn’t listening. “Those girls approach me. I might talk to them to be polite but they are well aware that it isn’t going beyond that. And if they don’t they are quickly informed. I do not-“

 

“Tooru!”

 

“-appreciate the insinuation otherwise.”

 

Tobio didn’t know what to say. He turned his head toward his grandmother, eyes wide in horror. She was staring at Oikawa once more, her lips pursed and her eyes slits. Tobio instantly took a step back and looked around for an escape route. He didn’t…he had seen his grandmother upset with his mother but…she was angry at Oikawa. What if she lashed out? What would she do? What would Tobio do? He…

 

“Tobio-chan, look at me.”

 

The words penetrated the haze that had slowly begun to cloud Tobio’s mind. He opened his eyes – when had he closed them? – and instantly locked his blue ones with the light brown in front of him. “Good, take a deep breath.” Tobio did so. “Good, now, why don’t you go take a seat? Iwa-chan?” Oikawa questioned and Tobio felt a light hand rest on his back. He flinched and turned his head sharply. He relaxed when he saw the green eyes.

 

“Come on, Kageyama,” Iwaizumi said lowly.

 

“Tobio-chan? You refer to my grandson in-“

 

“I have known your grandson longer than you have,” Oikawa said, his voice full of ice. Tobio flinched at the sound as Iwaizumi lightly pushed him back onto the couch. “Tobio is well aware that it’s a sign of affection.” _I am? I thought he just called me that to annoy me._ “Just like I call Iwa-chan Iwa-chan. What I call my soulmate is my business.”

 

“Yet Tobio calls you Oikawa-san. Doesn’t seem very affectionate now, does it?” His grandmother snapped back, her hands on her hips. Tobio felt himself flush and he turned his head to the side in order to bury it in Iwaizumi’s chest. The older boy’s hand moved up to rub against Tobio’s back soothingly. “Actually, I have yet to see any affection between the two of you. Tobio and Hajime seem to be close. Maybe you spend too much time focusing on those other girls instead of your soulmates and the bond is continuing without you. It’s a common issue between polybonds.”  


Tobio could only groan at the words and he felt Iwaizumi’s arms tighten instantly. “Hana-san, that isn’t-“ Iwaizumi started.

 

“Hajime and I have been friends since we were seven,” Oikawa said and Tobio’s eyes flew open as he heard the boy utter Iwaizumi’s given name for the first time. “We have known that we are soulmates since shortly after that. Unfortunately, we weren’t aware of Tobio until recently. There is a history between us that we are working through. A history you are unaware of.”

 

“Tooru!”

 

“No,” Oikawa snapped as his eyes slid over to rest on Iwaizumi. “She knows nothing about us. She knows nothing about Tobio. She doesn’t get to tell us what’s wrong with our relationship.” _Relationship? Do we really have a relationship?_ “Though I am thankful,” Oikawa said as his eyes once again moved toward Tobio’s grandmother, “that you have helped Tobio. We both are. But I will not just stand here and let you judge us before you truly know what we’ve been through. What _Tobio’s_ been through.”

 

The group fell into silence. Tobio closed his eyes tightly and braced himself for what was to come. But he was surprised when his grandmother let out a soft sigh. “Tobio, open your eyes,” the woman said, her voice kind. Tobio swallowed hard and slowly let his eyes open. His grandmother had stepped closer to the couch, turning her back on Oikawa, and was watching him carefully. “Oh, my dear. I will never hurt you, Tobio.” She let out another sigh and glanced over her shoulder toward Oikawa. “I admit that you have a point. There are many things I need to learn about my grandson. And about the two of you. And I _will_ be doing so.” The last was said threateningly and Oikawa just inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Now, I suppose I should be heading home.”

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open wide and he pulled away from Iwaizumi. “You- you’re leaving?”

 

She smiled softly, “I will be back next weekend. But I think the three of you have some things to discuss. Besides,” she sent Tobio a mischievous grin. “I think there is a surprise waiting for you. I don’t want to interrupt.”

 

_…interrupt?..._

“You’re welcome to join us,” Iwaizumi responded, trying to smooth over the rift that seemed to appear between them.

 

Her smile grew as she looked toward Iwaizumi. “Thank you but I think Tobio needs a bit of time to relax.” She moved toward the couch and bent down to press a kiss on Tobio’s head. His eyes flew open wide. He…he didn’t think anyone had ever done something like that before. “I will call you tomorrow. And I expect you will hear from Keiji as well. Do not forget that I’ll be visiting next weekend.” She grabbed her purse from where it had been resting on the counter. “Those groceries should be put away quickly. You don’t want anything to spoil.” And then she opened the door and disappeared.

 

Leaving Tobio sitting on a couch, Iwaizumi’s arms around him and Oikawa staring at the two of them from where he stood in the kitchen. “Well, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa said slowly as his arms fell to his sides. “I think there are some things that we need to talk about.” He moved toward the couch and slid into the open seat beside Tobio. Iwaizumi let go of Tobio’s waist and Tobio slowly moved himself into a sitting position. He stared down at the floor. He didn’t want to do this.

 

“Tobio,” Oikawa said and Tobio instantly retreated further into the couch when he noticed the lack of honorific. Oikawa was always serious when he didn’t call him the usual _Tobio-chan!._ He knew he wasn’t going to be getting out of this. Not this time. “I think you have some talking to do. Because from what I’ve been told, you had a panic attack in a parking lot after seeing your mother. And that isn’t okay. So talk.”

 

And Tobio did.

 

He didn’t want to. He actually wanted to just close that box forever and lock it in a forgotten room in his mind. But he knew Oikawa. He knew that Iwaizumi wasn’t going to help him this time. He knew that he owed them the truth.

 

So, he started at the beginning.

 

In short, blunt sentences, Tobio told them about his mother’s actions the first time she saw the bruises on his arms. To the words the two of them had written each other. How he had been expected to keep his arms covered at all times. To his mother’s reactions. To what he had overheard that night Noguchi-san came for dinner. He explained that his mother left shortly after that. And then he spoke of how he had placed all his faith in volleyball because he believed it would lead them to his soulmates.

 

Which now, he realized that it had.

 

And all of that led him to his time at Karasuno. And then to the summer camp and seeing his mother again.

 

In the end, Iwaizumi’s face was buried in his hands and Oikawa was shaking with barely concealed rage. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

 

Tobio shook his head helplessly. What should he have said? When should he have said something? It wasn’t their problem. It was his. One that he had honestly never thought he would be free from.

 

But he was now.

 

“No more secrets,” Iwaizumi said gruffly, his hand falling from his face and his eyes locking on Tobio’s. “Especially something like this. Got it?”  Tobio nodded.

 

“I better not see that woman,” Oikawa muttered.

 

“What are you going to do?” Iwaizumi asked sarcastically. “Glare at her?”

 

“I’ll do a lot more than that!”  


“Sure you will.”

 

“She didn’t even try,” Tobio said softly, his mind repeating the moment that his mother had signed the paperwork and walked away without even glancing at him. “She just…left. Like it didn’t matter.”

 

Oikawa was on him instantly, pulling him in and wrapping his arms around Tobio tightly. Tobio blinked in surprise for a moment but ended up closing them tightly when he felt his throat start to burn. He didn’t want to cry. Not now. A familiar hand began to run up and down his back. Iwaizumi. They were both here. Both comforting him. Letting him know that they weren’t going anywhere.

 

And for the first time, he truly believed that they weren’t.

 

A loud knock on the door broke through Tobio’s thoughts and he jumped at the sound. “Wh-who?” He uttered as he pulled away.

 

Oikawa squeezed his arms before standing. “Your surprise, Tobio-chan. They’re here.”

 

_They?_


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Lord, the last two weeks have been difficult. I actually got offered a new job making more money, so I turned in my notice for my current job...only to have the CEO call me and offer me a promotion if I stayed. So I agreed to stay but things have been a mess. Sigh. This has been the first chance I've had to write. A short chapter here so I hope you enjoy. I'll have more up soon. We're nearing the end...

Tobio warily watched as Oikawa made his way to the door and pulled it open quickly. “Kageyama!” A loud yell was heard and Oikawa was unceremoniously pushed to the side as the entire Karasuno team rushed into the small apartment. Tobio barely made it to his feet before he was swarmed. Noya, Tanaka, and Hinata all pounced on him as the rest of the team quickly surrounded the group. Tobio saw Iwaizumi quickly stand and move toward a very offended Oikawa from the corner of his eye.

 

“What happened?” Noya demanded as he hung off of Tobio’s neck. Tobio quickly tried to dislodge the older boy but Noya continued to cling. “That was your mom, right? And that scary woman was your grandmother? Coach made us leave! Tanaka and I were going to stay just in case-“

 

“Your cheek is bruised!” Tanaka growled as he peered closely at Tobio’s face.

 

“Let me see!” Suga said in concern as he pushed Tanaka to the side. A frown crossed his face as he peered at the discoloration on Tobio’s cheek. “Did you put ice on that, Kageyama-kun? It seems a bit swollen.”

 

“I – uh – “

 

“One of you get some ice!” Suga said over his shoulder. There was a rush of bodies to the small kitchen area instantly. In a few moments, Tobio had a small bag of ice pressed against the side of his face.

 

“How are you all here?” Tobio asked, still completely shocked to see his team, even Tsukishima, inside his apartment. Tsukishima didn’t seem happy to be there but he was eyeing both Iwaizumi and Oikawa warily.

 

“I called Oikawa,” Daichi said with a small smile and Tobio turned incredulous eyes toward the third year. Oikawa avoided his gaze and leaned against Iwaizumi. The two were standing as far away from the Karasuno team as they could get. “I made him promise to let us know when you returned. He invited us here a few hours ago.”

 

“Oh,” Tobio replied, not knowing what else to say. He was…happy that Daichi had cared enough to call Oikawa. That Oikawa had actually invited them over to see him. That they had all come. Even Tsukishima.

 

He was glad.

 

“So, what happened?” Tanaka demanded loudly.

 

“He doesn’t have to tell us that!” Suga chastised as he waved his hands toward the boy.

 

“But-“

 

“Sorry, Kageyama!” Noya wailed and Tobio’s eyes flew open wide at the sudden increase in volume. “If it was anyone else that had hit you I would have gone pow! But it was your mother! I couldn’t do anything!”  


Tobio flushed. “It’s fine, Nishinoya-san.”

 

“It is not! I’m a horrible upperclassman! I’m sure you’ve never had a worse senpai!”

 

“Wasn’t that particular title given to Oikawa-san?” Tsukishima questioned, earning himself a glare from most of the room.

 

“I think that’s our que,” Iwaizumi said as Oikawa’s eyes flashed in anger. He slid a hand over Oikawa’s mouth and began to pull the taller boy toward the door, Oikawa struggling against him the entire way. “You guys have fun. Kageyama, we’ll be by tomorrow after practice.”

 

“Oh, we don’t want to run you off!” Suga said hurriedly, his brows furrowed as he took a step toward the two. “Why don’t you stay?”

 

“We have a few things to do,” Iwaizumi responded, giving the other vice captain a small smile. “And Oikawa didn’t get much sleep. He needs a certain number of hours before he’s considered to be civil company.”  


Oikawa let out a muffled protest and glared toward Iwaizumi. “He must never get enough, then,” Tsukishima said with a wicked grin. Oikawa’s eyes snapped toward the blond once more and Tobio watched as Iwaizumi’s arm flew around the other boy’s waist and held him tight as he began to pull away.

 

“And what’s your excuse?” The question slipped out of Tobio’s mouth before he could think about it. Eyes turned to him in surprise and then Hinata, Tanaka, and Noya all laughed loudly. Ennoshita and Daichi both grinned. Suga began to giggle and clap Tsukishima on the shoulder. Yamaguchi’s hand flew up to cover his mouth as Yachi yelped loudly at his side. Tsukishima’s eyes had narrowed and Tobio shrugged at the taller first year as he maneuvered around the group toward the two Aoba Johsai boys. “Thank you…for helping today.”

 

“You don’t need to thank us,” Iwaizumi said, his hands finally dropping from where they had been holding Oikawa hostage.

 

“Mean Iwa-chan!” Oikawa huffed as he lightly slapped Iwaizumi’s arm. He turned toward Tobio with a false grin that betrayed his irritation. “Tobio-chan, I now understand why you don’t like Glasses-kun. Good luck being on a team with him.”

 

“Cut it out, Trashykawa,” Iwaizumi muttered lowly. He looked over Tobio’s shoulder at the group of boys, most of who were staring unabashedly, and then pulled Tobio toward him quickly. Tobio barely had time to comprehend the hug before he was released. “Tomorrow,” he said once more as he pulled the door open. “Come on, Trashykawa.”

 

“You have _got_ to stop calling me that,” Oikawa snapped as he rolled his eyes. He turned back toward Tobio and seemed to hesitate for a moment before swooping down. Tobio’s heart seemed to stop for a moment as a pair of warm lips pressed against his cheek. “See you tomorrow, Tobio-chan.”

 

Loud whistles sounded from behind him and Tobio’s face burned as Oikawa sent a wink his direction before he followed Iwaizumi out the door. “Well, it seems like you guys are doing well,” Yamaguchi teased as the door closed.

 

Tobio scrunched up his nose, causing the laughter to grow louder. “They really didn’t need to leave,” Suga said after the laughter had died down.

 

“Let them,” Tanaka mumbled and Tobio turned to him with a glare. The older boy held up his hands placatingly. “Alright, sorry!”

 

“Let’s order pizza!” Hinata yelled out and the boys cheered loudly as Daichi pulled out his phone. As the boys argued over what type of pizzas to order, Suga motioned for Tobio to follow him. The two boys made their way into the small bedroom and Suga glanced around before perching on the desk chair.

 

“I just wanted to make sure everything was okay,” Suga said as Tobio slowly sat on his bed facing the third year. “Things were…hectic after camp.”

 

Tobio avoided the other boy’s eyes. “It’s fine. My mother…my grandmother is now my guardian. I…Akaashi-san is my cousin.”

 

Tobio looked up just in time to see Suga blink in surprise. “Akaashi? Fukurōdani’s Akaashi?” Tobio nodded. “What a small world,” Suga mused. His eyes moved back toward Tobio’s face. “The two of you do look similar. Interesting.”

 

Tobio’s brows furrowed. “Interesting?”

 

“Never mind,” Suga said with that grin of his that made Tobio’s hair stand on end. “If you need anything, you can talk to me, Kageyama-kun. You know that, right?”

 

Tobio nodded slowly and Suga gave him one last grin, a real one this time, before standing. “Alright. Let’s go make sure they don’t order something disgusting.” Tobio nodded in agreement and the two boys joined the others, who were now sprawled around the small room arguing over…something. Tobio wasn’t sure. It might have been some drama series or something.

 

The night passed quickly and Tobio was surprised that he had such a good time. He had spent a week with these people. And then a night with a family he had never met. And now he was back with the team. He should be craving time to himself. But…he was thankful they were there. And he was having fun. The pizza was devoured within a few minutes of it arriving and they had spent the rest of the time just…hanging out. For the first time, Tobio wished he had some sort of gaming system that they could all play but the others didn’t seem to be upset that he didn’t have one.

 

The team left around eight o’clock that night and Tobio was left alone in a new apartment. He stood at the door after it closed and looked around his new home. It was smaller than the house but it felt…warmer. He had always tried to stay within his room when he lived in his mother’s house. Even without her there it was like the house itself was a representation of her. Now…now he was away from that.

 

And he didn’t know what to do.

 

He slowly moved further into the apartment and slowly sank down onto the couch. There were still things that needed to be unpacked. He was pretty sure he still had some homework he was supposed to complete before tomorrow. But…he didn’t want to do any of it. He was exhausted.

 

His phone chimed and Tobio flipped it open quickly.

 

**From Akaashi Keiji**

**Received: Did everything go alright? How is the apartment?**

**Sent: It’s fine.**

**Received: Which one is fine, exactly?**

**Sent: Both**

**Received: I see. Did you speak with Iwaizumi-san and Oikawa-san?**

**Sent: They were here until my team came to see me.**

**Received: Do they not get along well with Karasuno?**

**Sent: …Iwaizumi-san does.**

**Received: Oikawa-san does not?**

**Sent: Tsukishima annoys him.**

**Received: That seems to be a common occurrence.**

**Received: Get some sleep, Tobio-kun. I’m sure you’re tired.**

**Sent: Good night, Akaashi-san.**

 

The next couple of weeks flew by quickly with Tobio spending most of his time practicing or with his soulmates. The time spent practicing grew longer and longer, the time with his soulmates growing shorter as it came closer to prelims.

 

And then it was time.

 

“If we can win twice in the prelims tomorrow, we’ll go to qualifiers in October to decide the representative team,” Takeda explained. “The eight schools that make it through the first prelims will be joined by eight more powerhouse schools and they’ll play the tournament that decides the representative team in October.”

 

“There are only two games in the first prelims?” Hinata questioned from beside Tobio.

 

“We were able to make it into the top sixteen at the Inter-High,” Suga explained to Hinata. “So, we’re exempt from the first games.”

 

“Wow! We’re awesome!”

 

They practiced for the next two hours until Ukai sent them home and locked the gym. Tobio’s body shook in anticipation. He wanted to keep practicing. He and Hinata needed it. They still had trouble synching on occasion with the new quick and he didn’t want them to embarrass themselves on the court. “I know somewhere we can go,” Hinata said as the two stared at the closed doors of the gym.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

They were on their way to this amazing location when Tobio’s phone rang. “Hello?” He answered, ignoring the odd look Hinata sent him.

 

“Tobio-chan! You have the prelims tomorrow, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, do well so we can face you again,” Oikawa demanded.

 

“We’ll do our best.”

 

“Do better,” Oikawa laughed and Tobio scowled. “Are you on your way home?”

 

Tobio winced guiltily. “Um…”  


“Tobio-chan!” Oikawa snapped. “You promised-“

 

“We just need a bit more practice, Oikawa-san,” Tobio said hurriedly. “We won’t be much longer.”

 

“Don’t make me call Iwa-chan.”

 

“Got to go, Oikawa-san. I’ll see you later,” Tobio said quickly as he hung up the phone. He heard a loud squawk before the phone closed completely and cut off the call.

 

“Was that the Great King?” Hinata demanded. “What did he want?!”  
  
“None of your business,” Tobio muttered. “Come on, let’s get to this place you mentioned.”

 

Turns out that the place Hinata mentioned was at Coach Ukai’s. Like, the legendary Coach Ukai. The two practiced for a few more hours before Coach Ukai called a stop to it. “You have a match tomorrow, don’t you?” He asked with an unimpressed frown. “That’s probably enough, then.”

 

Tobio and Hinata bowed instantly. “One more! Just one more!”

 

“We’ll finish after this one!”

 

The man sighed. “Just one more.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

“All right, Hinata!” Tobio said in determination. “We’re going to nail this!”

 

The little boy they had throwing the ball threw it up in the air. Tobio moved under it instantly and tossed the ball toward Hinata. The other boy was waiting. The ball flew toward him perfectly and Hinata swung his arm forward and slammed the ball down on the other side of the net. Tobio’s lips lifted in a satisfied grin.

 

That was it.

 

They were ready.

 

 


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hello everyone! Here I am with a new update. Is everyone excited??? This is a lead up to the SPRING HIGH!!! YAY!!! I hope you all enjoy it. :)

 

It was the first preliminaries and Tobio could actually feel the difference in the way the other teams were watching them. During the Inter-High, they had heard comments about being the wingless crows, the fallen powerhouse. But now, now they were talking about the fact that they had played a full set against Aoba Johsai. That they had come close to winning against them. Some thought it was a fluke. Some were watching them warily.

 

But no one was saying that they were flightless anymore.

 

Their first game was against Ohgi Minami. It wasn’t a very difficult win, Karasuno taking the first two sets fairly easily. But Tobio was happy. They were working well together, moving fluidly. Maybe the only reason they were able to pull off the win so easily was because they had got used to high caliber teams, like Nekoma and Fukurōdani.

 

Then it was time for their game against Kakugawa High. Tobio would never admit it to his team, but he was a bit anxious before, and during, the match. The middle blocker was two meters tall, basically towering over Hinata, and no matter what they did, it always seemed as if the taller boy was there to block them. But they adapted and soon enough, Karasuno had taken the match.

 

And then they had done it.

 

They were moving onto the next round.

 

The team celebrated and Tobio couldn’t stop the smile from crossing his face. He even pretended not to notice when Hinata recoiled when he did so. The first thing he did was send out two messages. The first went to his group chat with Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

 

The second went to Akaashi.

 

Tobio and Akaashi had been talking frequently since Tobio returned to Miyagi. It was frequent enough that Oikawa had made his displeasure known multiple times. Tobio just ignored the other boy. He figured it was because Akaashi was a setter for a powerhouse school and he knew how the third year got about things like that. But Iwaizumi had gotten sick on Oikawa’s whining and made Tobio promise that when the three of them were together, the phone was away.

 

It wasn’t exactly a hardship. He wasn’t going to complain about the two wanting to spend time with him.

 

**From: Group Chat**

**Oikawa: I would have been disappointed if you didn’t.**

**Iwaizumi: Congratulations, Kageyama!**

**Iwaizumi: Shittykawa, can’t you just congratulate him?!**

**Oikawa: Fine. Congratulations, I guess.**

Tobio’s lips turned up into a smile. He knew that Oikawa really was happy for him – deep down, at least. Or, he was happy to have another excuse to play them. As long as Karasuno kept moving forward, it was a possibility that they would play Aoba Johsai.

 

He looked down once again as his phone dinged.

 

**From: Akaashi Keiji**

**Received: Good job, Kageyama-kun. Bokuto-san says congratulations as well.**

**Sent: Thank you, Akaashi-san.**

Tobio felt the happiness and relief bubble up in his chest. He had been sure that they would make it to the Spring High Playoffs but there had always been a nagging worry in the back of his mind that something would go wrong. But now, now they had done it.

 

He walked home happily, a meat bun in hand. They had stopped to eat after the games but Tobio was still hungry. He got to his apartment building and opened his door, only to jump in surprise when someone was standing there. “Obaachan!” Tobio gasped loudly. His grandmother looked up from where she had been sitting on the couch with a smile.

 

“Tobio!” She said happily, pulling herself to her feet. She bustled forward and pressed a kiss to his head. Tobio jerked away from her in surprise and she laughed. “Oh, did I startle you? Congratulations on your win!”

 

Tobio’s mouth dropped. “I-uh, how did you-“

 

“I saw you, of course,” she said, as if that were the most obvious thing on the planet. Tobio blinked his eyes frantically. She had…what?

 

“You were there?” He asked incredulously.

 

“Of course I was there!” She said, placing her hands on her hips as a frown crossed her face. “What type of grandmother do you think I am?” She reached up and gently patted the side of his face. “Now, you must be exhausted. Shower and sleep. I’ll make a big celebratory breakfast in the morning.”

 

“You don’t have to-“

 

“Go on, now.”

 

Tobio sighed and did as ordered. He had come to realize over the past month that just going along with her was easier than trying to argue, and it wasn’t as if she ever wanted him to do something detrimental to himself. Or anyone else. She just…had strong opinions.

 

Which is probably why she and Oikawa still didn’t like each other.

 

There had been another confrontation a couple of weeks ago, one in which had ended with Oikawa storming out of the apartment and Iwaizumi apologizing before hurrying after him. But the two usually tried to be civil to one another, mostly for Tobio’s sake. And, even though it made him feel awkward, Tobio almost, _almost_ , enjoyed it.

 

Not that he would ever tell them that.

  
But, well, when they argued it was usually because they disagreed about him. And, at these times, Tobio actually was able to feel that they both really did care about him.

 

He liked that.

 

His tired muscles relaxed with the hot water and he let out a deep sigh as he began to wash himself. He finished quickly and changed into a pair of loose track pants and an old shirt before walking back into the small living area and spreading himself out on the couch. “What do you think you are doing?” his grandmother asked. Tobio looked at her in confusion.

 

“Going to sleep?”

 

“Go to your bed, Tobio.”

 

“But-“ Tobio began to protest. Whenever she came, she always took the bed and he slept on either the couch or the futon. He didn’t feel like taking the futon out at the moment so he was just planning on sleeping on the couch.

 

“The bed,” she said sternly, pointing in the direction of his room. “You need your rest. I don’t mind taking the futon for the night. Go on.”

 

“Obaachan-“  


“Go on,” she said once more, coming up beside him until he pulled himself to his feet. She gently pushed him in the direction of the bedroom. “Sleep well. I invited those boys of yours over for breakfast so you need your sleep.”

 

Tobio’s head snapped to the side and he looked at her with wide eyes. “You called Oikawa?”

 

“Of course not,” she scoffed as though the very idea was preposterous and placed her hands once again on her hips. “I called Hajime-kun. He promised that they would be here.”

 

Tobio just shook his head and walked into the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him.

 

He thought it best not to ask how she got Iwaizumi’s number.

 

The next morning, he woke to a warm body curled up behind him and a gentle hand running through his hair. He groaned and tried to bury his face further into the pillow. “Oh, come on now, Tobio-chan. Time to wake up.”

 

Tobio shook his head and two voices chuckled.

 

“Your grandmother has food waiting.” Tobio frowned. He knew that voice. And the other one. Wait, why were they here? “Time to get up.”

 

“Up, Tobio-chan!” the second voice chimed in. “Before the she demon comes to look for us!”

 

“Tooru!”

 

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. She is!”

 

“You’re such a-“  


But Tobio didn’t find out what his grandmother was because he suddenly realized exactly what was happening. With a yelp, he sat up quickly, dislodging the arms that were around his waist and the hand in his hair. His blue eyes flickered around the room, taking in the startled expressions on Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s faces. Well, the startled expression on Iwaizumi’s face. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand falling toward his side. Tobio assumed that he was the one running his hand through his hair. Oikawa was spread out on the bed, watching Tobio with a smirk. Tobio’s face flushed instantly.

 

“Oh, so cute, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa cooed as he sat up fully and pressed his lips against Tobio’s hair. That just caused Tobio’s face to glow even brighter and he buried his head in his hands, hoping to hide it from the third years gaze.

 

No such luck.

 

“Look how cute he is, Iwa-chan!”

 

“Leave him alone, Trashykawa.”

 

“Hey! You called me Tooru a minute ago!”

 

“Because I was annoyed with you.”

 

“You can’t use my given name because you’re annoyed! That isn’t how that works!”

 

Tobio shoulders shook as he tried, and failed, to repress his chuckles. Oikawa gasped loudly, “Iwa-chan! Tobio-chan’s laughing at us!”

 

“Rightfully so,” Iwaizumi admitted and Tobio looked up to see an embarrassed smile on Iwaizumi’s face. He met the boy’s eyes and Iwaizumi winked. “Come on, Kageyama. We weren’t kidding about your grandmother.”

  
Tobio nodded and the three boys climbed off of the bed and into the main room. Tobio’s grandmother was waiting for them at the table, a small smirk on her lips. “I thought I was going to have to come drag you boys out of there. I hope you didn’t do anything indecent,” she said, the smirk falling as her eyes rested on Oikawa.

 

The boy gave her the sweetest, fakest smile Tobio had ever seen from him. And, considering who he was, that was saying a lot. “I might have climbed into bed with him. But it’s fine. Tobio-chan wanted it.”

 

Tobio couldn’t stop himself from groaning as Iwaizumi once again snapped out a, “Tooru!”. But Tobio’s grandmother seemed to decide to ignore the comment and the three boys slid into the seats at the seldomly used table. Mostly because the table really was too big for the apartment and Tobio usually had it pushed against the corner so only two people could sit. Now, it was pulled out, the other two chairs in place, and was taking up most of the living space. He supposed it was okay for now. When they were finished eating, he could just push it back.

 

“Well, congratulation again,” his grandmother said as they began to dish up. “Your team seemed very good. I don’t know much about volleyball but I do attend Keiji’s games when I can.” From the corner of his eye, Tobio saw Oikawa’s hands clench. “Don’t tell him I said so, but I think you might be better. Not that Keiji isn’t talented.” She said quickly.

 

Tobio blushed. “Akaashi-san is very good,” he told his grandmother and Oikawa’s knuckles turned white. “We just have different playing styles. And I could never…manage the team the way he does.”

 

“Ah, you mean Bokuto,” she said knowingly.

 

“Not just him,” Tobio protested as he began to eat. “Akaashi-san always knows what is happening around him. And he is able to bring out the best in the players. I can’t do that.”

 

His grandmother seemed to contemplate his words for a moment. “I suppose so. Keiji has a horrible habit of overthinking at times. I see that his mind could be useful when he’s playing.” Tobio nodded his head. “I do not think Keiji would be opposed to you referring to him as something other than Akaashi-san,” his grandmother said. Tobio dropped the rice he had just picked up. “You are family, after all.”

 

Tobio opened his mouth but no words came out. Oikawa cleared his throat. “Tobio-chan is very formal until he gets comfortable. As you pointed out, he still refers to Iwa-chan and I as _san_. Though this…Akaashi…is his cousin, they haven’t known each other long.”

 

“They talk frequently,” his grandmother informed Oikawa. Iwaizumi placed a hand over his eyes and let out a sigh. “I have been told that they speak on the phone at least twice a week and message each other often. I am sure Tobio is growing comfortable around his cousin.”

 

“Are you saying he’s uncomfortable around us?” Oikawa asked, tilting his head to the side and narrowing his eyes dangerously at the older woman.

 

She met his gaze squarely. Tobio cleared his throat, causing both of them to snap their eyes toward him. His shoulders rose as he ducked his head. “I – I just – it’s a habit. To call Oikawa-san, Oikawa-san. And Iwaizumi-san. Not because…” he broke off and sighed, not sure how to explain what he was thinking. He didn’t want to seem like he was taking a side. And he didn’t want to make anyone angry. But Iwaizumi stepped in before he could try and explain himself.

 

“I know what you mean,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and ignoring both Oikawa and Tobio’s grandmother. “It can be a bit difficult sometimes. But you know you can drop the honorifics with us, right? Or call us by our given names.”

 

“I wouldn’t go _that_ far,” Oikawa muttered. Tobio’s lips twitched when he saw the teasing gleam in his eyes. However, he didn’t miss the way his grandmother’s eyes narrowed even further.

 

“I know,” Tobio answered Iwaizumi. “But thanks.”

 

They all finished their meals quickly after that and Tobio joined his grandmother in cleaning. She had made extra and placed it in containers in his refrigerator. Tobio thanked her and she kissed his cheek before announcing that she was heading back to Tokyo. She smiled at Iwaizumi, sent a glare toward Oikawa, and then grabbed her things. Tobio offered to walk her to the train station but she shook her head and told him she would be calling him the following day.

 

Then she was gone. As soon as the door closed, Oikawa’s tense shoulders relaxed and he flopped onto the sofa. “Tobio-chan, me putting up with that woman shows just how much I like you.” Tobio blushed brightly and floundered a bit at the words. He couldn’t remember if Oikawa had ever directly said something like that to him. He didn’t think so. “She annoys me.”

 

“You don’t help the situation,” Iwaizumi said, lightly hitting the back of Oikawa’s head and receiving a pout. “Can’t you just keep your mouth shut?”

 

“Pretty sure you like my mouth open.”

 

“Tooru!”

 

Tobio frowned, confused, until the words processed. Then his face burned brightly. Oikawa chuckled wickedly and made grabby hands toward Tobio. “Come here, Tobio-chan. Tell us about your magnificent win yesterday.”

 

Tobio moved toward the boy. As soon as he was close enough, Oikawa gripped his wrist and pulled him down beside him on the sofa, Iwaizumi taking a seat on the other side. Oikawa entwined their hands together as Iwaizumi wrapped an arm around Tobio’s shoulders. “It wasn’t ‘magnificent’,” Tobio grumbled. “The first game was easy. But the second…did you know Kakogawa has a player that’s two meters?”

 

“Two meters?!”

 

“Since when?”

 

Tobio shrugged. “Don’t know. He seemed new. Still difficult, with his height. The blocks were useless and his arms were long enough to keep up with Hinata.”

 

“But you still won,” Oikawa said, squeezing his hand. “Good. I wouldn’t want to explain to my team how my soulmate didn’t make it through the first round. Talk about embarrassing.”

 

“Tooru!”

 

“It would be!”

 

Tobio rolled his eyes and shifted slightly so his head was resting on Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “Whatever. We made it.”  


“Well, you have a few more to beat before we can play each other again.”

 

“And we have two games to win as well,” Iwaizumi reminded Oikawa. The other boy smirked.

 

“I’m not worried.”

 

“Of course you aren’t.”

 

“Too bad Tobio-chan is going to have to lose,” Oikawa said, letting out an obnoxious sigh.

 

“Who says _I’m_ the one that’s going to lose?”

 

Oikawa smirked at him and his eyes flashed. “Only one team can move on, Tobio-chan. And that’s going to be us.” His smirk grew. “If only you had joined Aoba Johsai, you might have a chance.”

 

The words rang in Tobio’s head. Before he knew it, he had ripped his hand out of Oikawa’s and got to his feet. Both Oikawa and Iwaizumi stared up at him in surprise. Tobio’s hands clenched at his sides. “I- _what_ did you just say?”

 

Oikawa’s smirk fell and his brows furrowed. “What? Tobio-chan, it was just a joke-“

 

“I didn’t go to Aoba Johsai because _you told me not to_!”

 

Oikawa’s mouth dropped and Iwaizumi’s head snapped around toward the other third year. “You did what?!”

 

“No! I didn’t! What are you-“

 

“After that…after my last game at Kitagawa Daiichi. You told me not to go to Aoba Johsai because I already ruined one of your teams and you didn’t want me to ruin another one,” Tobio said, his voice cold as the words replayed themselves in his head once more. The feel of the wall against his back. The mocking voice.

 

“I-“

 

“Are you serious, Oikawa?!”

 

“I didn’t think he’d listen to me!” Oikawa wailed out, his hand running through his hair. “When he wasn’t on the roster I just thought he hadn’t got in!”

 

Iwaizumi looked furious. He turned toward Tobio. “Did you? Did you get in?” Tobio nodded his head once, sharply. Iwaizumi groaned and Oikawa wailed once more as he buried his face in his hands.

 

“Damn, Tobio! Why did you choose now to listen to me?!”

 

“Are you serious, Trashykawa? He always listens to you! You’re just too blind to see it!”  
  
“I am not!”

 

“He’s been worshiping the ground you walk on since he joined the club in junior high! You just never noticed-“

 

“That isn’t _true_!”

 

“Yes, it is! For someone so smart, you can really be a complete idiot!”

 

“Iwa- _chan_!”

 

Tobio was tired of listening to this. He turned on his heel and walked toward the bedroom, ignoring the calls after him, and slammed the door. He made sure to lock it behind him.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter kind of ran away from me a bit and I didn't get to the second half. Lol. So, I guess we'll add one more chapter to the ending total. As of now, we will have four more chapters to go! I hope you all enjoy this one. Make sure to let me know. :)

Tobio didn’t know how long he stayed in the room. He heard Iwaizumi yelling, Oikawa whining, and then they were both pounding on his door, but he put a pair of headphones in and ignored them both. He knew it was childish. He knew that it would make both of them upset with him. But…but he didn’t care. Not at the moment. Because he couldn’t just forget the things that had happened in the past. Even if he wanted to.

 

He wasn’t aware of how long it took for the pounding to stop. Eventually, he fell asleep only to wake hours later to an empty apartment.

 

They hadn’t stayed.

 

He wasn’t sure if that made him depressed or happy.

 

He glanced down at his arms, thinking that maybe they had left some sort of message from him when he hadn’t unlocked the door.

 

But they hadn’t.

 

So, he checked his phone.

 

Nothing was there, either.

 

A ball of guilt and despair seemed to settle in his stomach. Was that it? Had they just decided he was no longer worth the effort? Was he only going to see them again on the volleyball court?

 

He didn’t want that.

 

But…well, they hadn’t messaged him. Or stuck around the apartment.

 

He shook his head and grabbed his laptop. He shouldn’t be focusing on this right now. They had the qualifiers in less than two months. There were things he should be working on.

 

By the next morning, Tobio was well aware that he hadn’t focused on any of the volleyball videos he had tried to watch the night before. He was also conscious of the fact that he had not heard a single word from his soulmates.

 

And he was furious.

 

He had moved past the dark depression. Well, not completely, but now the thing that was clouding his mind was anger. If they wanted to end…whatever this was, they should have told him. Not just acted as if he didn’t exist.

 

Tobio found himself sending long, ranting messages to Akaashi during his lunch break. Akaashi, surprisingly, responded within minutes. Since the older boy had lunch at a different time and didn’t like to use his phone during class, Tobio was used to waiting until school was dismissed before hearing from his cousin.

 

**From: Akaashi Keiji**

**Received: Kageyama-kun, I do not think they are going to end your relationship because of an argument. They most likely wanted to give you some time away from them. Speak to them.**

Which is why Tobio was sneaking out of Karasuno with a dark hooded sweatshirt pulled up over a blue baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses. He could go to Aoba Johsai, maybe even catch the end of their practice to do a little recon, and then corner Iwaizumi and Oikawa. They wouldn’t even know that he was there.

 

He was walked past Karasuno’s gym when Yachi walked out. She stopped for a moment and Tobio ducked his head and moved on. The girl was so anxious she probably thought someone was trying to spy on them or hurt her. He should leave quickly.

 

“Uh, K-Kageyama-kun? What are you doing?”

 

Tobio turned to her in surprise, the hood falling off of his head. “You could tell it was me?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Damn it!” Tobio said angrily as he ripped both the sunglasses and hat off of his head. If he couldn’t fool Yachi there was no way he would be able to fool Iwaizumi! Maybe Oikawa, if he was focused on volleyball.

 

“Was that supposed to be a disguise?” Yachi asked.

 

Tobio thought quickly and avoided her gaze. He didn’t want anyone on the team to know about the fight he had with Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Many of them would be angry, some would laugh at him, and he just didn’t want to deal with that on top of everything else. They needed to be focused on their own game, as well. Not on Tobio’s relationships. “There’s a team that we might face during the qualifier for the prefecture,” he said slowly. “And I want to check them out before that.” It wasn’t a lie. He _did_ want to check on Aoba Johsai’s team. To see how they improved. That just…wasn’t the only reason.

 

“I see. So you were going to shoot a video of them?”

 

“No!” Tobio said quickly, shaking his head. “There’s an unwritten rule that you can only record official matches. So nothing is actually going to happen by me watching, but summer vacation’s over and there’s less than two months until the prefectural qualifier. I felt that I should check them out.”

 

There was silence for just a moment, Tobio still avoiding Yachi’s eye, when she began to speak. “Uh, if you don’t want to stand out at a school after school hours, I think it would be best to wear plain training gear.” Tobio turned toward her with wide eyes. That was true. He would just have to make sure no one on the volleyball team actually saw him. No one else would take a second look at a high-schooler wearing workout clothes.

 

So, Tobio changed into a t-shirt and a pair of track pants and went to Aoba Johsai.

 

He walked through the gates easily and made sure to keep his head down. In his head, the words, _“I’m a student here”,_ kept repeating. He was sure that if he focused on them hard enough, everyone around him would sense that he belonged and not question him. He finally made it to the gym and leaned down to look through the window. He cringed at what he saw.

 

He had thought it would be just another practice. Not a practice match. With a University team.

 

They looked as if they were currently on break. All were standing around, taking drinks from their water bottles and talking. Then he heard it. “I’m Oikawa, pleasure to meet you.” Tobio’s eyes snapped to the side where Oikawa walked toward the University students. He seemed perfectly fine. A bright smile was on his face, not a single hair out of place.

 

Tobio’s hands clenched.

 

He began to laugh and joke with the older boys and Tobio couldn’t help but feel jealous. Jealous that these people were making him laugh. Jealous that Oikawa was able to fit in so easily. “That’s Seijoh’s captain, right?” One of the university students said, just a little bit away from Tobio.

 

“He’s pretty gaudy,” the person beside him said. Tobio’s teeth began to ground together.

 

But once they started playing, every person on the university team was staring at Oikawa in awe. Because he had flawlessly been able to pull them together. To give them the tosses that they wanted. To push them when they needed it. Even if he didn’t like the player, he was able to bring out the best in them. Tobio’s mind flashed to Tsukishima. He still struggled to give tosses to the blond. But here Oikawa was, doing it so flawlessly.

 

Something in Tobio’s gut clenched.

 

He finally managed to tear his eyes away from Oikawa and look toward Iwaizumi. The third year was leading his team again the university students and Oikawa. He was focused on the game, his eyes tracking the movements of the ball, of Oikawa’s hands. He knew Oikawa and his playing style better than anyone. And yet…

 

Tobio shook his head and continued to watch. Neither Oikawa or Iwaizumi seemed upset in the slightest. After the University team, and Oikawa, won, the two boys even teased each other and Oikawa swung an arm around Iwaizumi’s shoulders.

 

Tobio turned away and walked back to Karasuno.

 

Hinata ambushed him as soon as he slid the door of the gym open. “How did it go?”

 

Tobio’s eyes drifted up to focus on the redhead. “I may never be able to defeat Oikawa.”

 

__________________________ 

 

The rest of the week passed with school and practice. Tobio drew further into himself each day that he didn’t hear from Iwaizumi and Oikawa. He had been confronted by his teammates on multiple occasions but he never told them what was upsetting him. Even Tsukishima seemed to be holding himself back, not snapping out insults with every breath.

 

Akaashi had asked him multiple times if he had tried to contact the two boys but Tobio had avoided the question. They had seemed perfectly fine without him and neither of them had bothered to message him or call. There was no reason to further the heartbreak by actually hearing them say the words.

 

He was fine.

 

It wasn’t until that next Sunday that a loud banging on his door pulled him from another restless sleep. He groaned as he pulled himself from his bed. His grandmother had been to see him last weekend so it couldn’t have been her. He was sure he told Hinata that he wouldn’t be meeting him this morning. And no one else from the team had come by since that visit when he first moved in. It was probably a neighbor or someone wanting something.

 

Tobio scowled at the thought and shuffled over toward the door. He pulled it open, a glare already on his face, only to take a step back in surprise as he faced his furious soulmates. “Alright, this has gone on long enough,” Iwaizumi declared, stomping inside without waiting for an invitation. Not that Tobio would have given him one. Oikawa remained in the hall, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at Tobio.

 

“You look…well, Tobio-chan,” he said and Tobio felt himself flush instantly. He had barely slept in a week. He knew how he looked. Suga had been fussing over him for days.

 

“What do you want?” Tobio asked dully. Oikawa snorted and followed Iwaizumi further into the apartment.

 

“What do we- are you kidding?” Iwaizumi snapped, whirling around to face him. Tobio took a startled step back. “It’s been a week, Kageyama! I know that you were upset but it shouldn’t take a week for you to get in contact! At least to let us know that everything is alright!”

 

Tobio blinked at him as the words whirled in his mind. He didn’t understand. “You didn’t message me, either.”

 

Oikawa rolled his eyes so hard Tobio thought that it actually had to hurt him. “Why would _we_ message _you_ , Tobio-chan? We said that we would give you time, remember? And when you were ready to talk to us to send us a message?”

 

Tobio’s mouth dropped open as he stared at the other setter. Oikawa looked impatient, tapping his foot and staring at Tobio expectantly. Tobio turned his eyes on Iwaizumi. He had the same expectant look as Oikawa.

 

Oh.

 

“I was asleep,” Tobio finally said, a bit helplessly.

 

“Excuse me?!” Oikawa snapped, throwing his hands up in the air. “Are you mad at us now because we woke you up?”

 

“No!” Tobio said, though he did wonder why the two of them had decided to come by so early on a Sunday. “No, I meant, I was asleep when you left last week. I didn’t hear you say anything…”

 

Both Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s postures tensed. They stared at Tobio with incomprehension for a moment, looked at each other as if trying to understand what he said, and then turned to face Tobio once more before Iwaizumi let out a deep groan, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Oikawa’s head tilted to the side and he stared at Tobio with creepy, dead eyes that made Tobio think of Hinata when people questioned his volleyball skills. “Iwa-chan? I might actually commit murder.”

 

“Sit down, Trashykawa,” Iwaizumi sighed. He pointed toward Tobio. “You too. We all need to talk.”

 

Tobio hesitantly moved toward the chair beside the couch. Oikawa was perched on the couch and he was watching Tobio with narrowed eyes. For some reason, he felt it best to have something separating him from the older boy. At least for the moment.

 

Iwaizumi sat beside Oikawa. “Alright, this is a big mess. Kageyama, you have to tell us if something is bothering you so we can work through it. Keeping something locked up isn’t healthy and it’s going to result in it exploding like it did last week. And ignoring us when we try to fix it isn’t going to help anything. Can we agree on that?” Tobio scowled. He wasn’t the only one in the wrong. But…Iwaizumi made a good point. Especially if they had really told him to message them when he wanted to see them. Because he had shut them out and ended up hurting himself in the process. So, he nodded his head.

 

“Fine. Tooru, you know what you said back then was wrong.” Oikawa crossed his arms over his chest defensively. “You even snuck away from me to do it and then didn’t tell me about it later, so you can’t defend that. You need to-“

 

“I’m sorry,” Oikawa said stiffly, his eyes meeting Tobio’s briefly before looking away. Tobio saw the flash of surprise on Iwaizumi’s face and knew that the other boy hadn’t put Oikawa up to this. “Tobio-chan, I am sorry. Truly. I just…when we were in junior high, I was so upset with you. You were able to pick things up so quickly. Everyone knew that you were going to surpass me.” Tobio opened his mouth in protest but Oikawa continued before he could say anything. “When I saw that game, I was so _angry_. I expected to see this great setter. After two years of being away from you, of you being able to grow, I thought that I would see you and know that you were now my biggest rival. But when I saw that game, saw how they all turned away from you, I felt like a failure. Because I should have been there to stop it. Because that dense, sweet, awkward kid I knew had turned into…well, had turned into someone that his own teammates didn’t want to be around. And I was furious. I wanted to make you understand, to make you see what you were doing. But…things got out of hand. So, I’m sorry.”

 

Tobio was blinking frantically as the words came to a stop. Even Oikawa looked surprised. It was as if the words had just been spilled out of the other boy, like he couldn’t make them stop. Iwaizumi reached toward Oikawa, grasping his hand. Tobio tried to process. Oikawa hadn’t been angry because of the team. He had been angry because of the way Tobio was acting.

 

Tobio couldn’t blame him for that.

 

Looking back on that year still made him cringe.

 

But he had said something else in that confession as well.

 

Oikawa was jealous because he thought Tobio was going to surpass him.

 

How wrong he was.

 

“I went to Aoba Johsai this week.”

 

“You _what_?!”

 

“When?”

 

“You were playing a practice match against a University,” Tobio said, his eyes drifting away as he remembered what he had seen. “I envied you. You were able to step into a team of people you didn’t know and pull them together. You can draw 100% out of anyone, Oikawa-san. I can’t do that. Even after spending a lot of time with them. But it doesn’t matter who it is with you. Even if you dislike them or if they have annoying habits, you can move them into the perfect position. You terrify me, Oikawa-san,” Tobio finally admitted, his eyes coming to rest on the shocked boy once more. Oikawa didn’t seem to know how to respond, his eyes dark as he stared back at Tobio.

 

“Well, that’s certainly a start,” Iwaizumi said after a moment. A small smile played at the corner of his lips. “I’ll admit, you both terrify me. I think it’s a setter thing.”

 

“Iwa-chan!”

 

Iwaizumi broke out into a laugh. “I’m just kidding. But seriously, you two need to realize that there is more to life than volleyball,” he chuckled again as both Oikawa and Tobio turned to him incredulously, “and that if something is bothering either of you, we need to talk about it. Got it?”

 

Tobio and Oikawa exchanged a look. They would agree to talking about whatever it was that was upsetting them. But neither of them would agree about volleyball.

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “Right. Well, anything else?”

 

Tobio bit his lip. He was sure there would be things that would come up, things that he had forgotten. But if he mentioned them when he was reminded, that was good enough. Right now, he was just happy that they were here. And that they both seemed to _want_ to be here.

 

With him.

 

“I,” Oikawa cleared his throat and looked toward the floor. “I almost wish that Tobio-chan stayed in Tokyo with his grandmother.” Tobio reeled back in surprise, a flash of pain in his chest. Iwaizumi sucked in a deep breath. “Not because I don’t want you here,” Oikawa said hurriedly, probably realizing how his words could be taken. “But…Iwa-chan and I are graduating this year. And we’re both planning on going to Tokyo.” Tobio’s mouth dropped at the information. He knew, obviously, that the two were third years. That they would be graduating. But what they were doing after graduation had never crossed his mind. He had never pictured the two of them not being there. “When I heard about your grandmother, I thought that if you were in Tokyo, things would be easier. Because a few months without you now is better than two years later,” he said, his voice growing smaller as he finished.

 

Iwaizumi’s brows furrowed and Tobio bit his lip. If both Oikawa and Iwaizumi left after graduation, things were going to change. He wasn’t going to be able to see them often, he wasn’t going to be playing against them any longer. He would probably have to find time to make the trip to Tokyo. Or they would have to figure out how to get back here. There would be no weekday visits, no nights spent curled up together.

 

But if he left, there would be no more Karasuno.

 

“My team-“

 

“I know,” Oikawa said, a small smile coming over his face. “Tobio-chan, you have no idea how proud I’ve been of you this year.” He scrunched his nose up as if the thought was sickening but Iwaizumi chuckled beside him. “You’ve improved so much. You think that you can’t bring out the best in your team, that you aren’t like me. But you are. I know you can do it. Though I would appreciate it if you waited until I’m gone.” Tobio’s lips twitched as an odd feeling exploded in his chest. He wanted – he wanted to do something. But he didn’t know what. “And I’m actually grateful to Karasuno. Because I don’t think you would have become the person you are without them. So, maybe that’s due to me. Because I told you not to go to Aoba Johsai.” His eyes lit up. “So really, you should be thanking me.”  


“Trashykawa!”  
  
“Mean, Iwa-chan!”  


But Tobio wasn’t offended. Truthfully, he thought Oikawa was right. If Oikawa hadn’t said those things he had, he wouldn’t have thrown away his acceptance to Aoba Johsai. He wouldn’t have gone to Karasuno.

 

And he wouldn’t trade that. Even for being on a team with his soulmates.

 

Not that he was going to say that to Oikawa.

 

“It will be difficult,” Iwaizumi admitted. “But I know we’ll be fine. Maybe we can switch off weekends or something, when we don’t have matches. And it’s only a few hours by train. None of us will be in the states or something.” He shrugged his shoulders. “And Karasuno seems to have at least a few training camps in Tokyo. We can try to stop by.”

 

Training camps.

 

“Oh,” Tobio said, “We have two more camps. We found out this week.”

 

“With who?” Iwaizumi questioned.

 

“Same schools. Just weekend camps.”

 

Oikawa groaned and let his head fall back against the couch. “It isn’t fair! I want to go to Tokyo and practice with powerhouse schools!”

 

“Maybe you should have gone to Karasuno,” Iwaizumi joked with a straight face.

 

Oikawa sat up instantly and pointed toward the other third year. “Do _not_ say that. I just had Ushiwaka flashbacks.”

 

Iwaizumi’s lips curled. “That’s what I was going for.”

 

“Meanie Iwa-chan!”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...:) We're almost done! This chapter actually wasn't a part of the original outline but I thought it would be fun to add it. Yes, it is one of the four I mentioned. So we will have three more chapters after this! And don't worry, they'll be longer.

It was the following weekend that Tobio found himself standing outside of Nekoma High School with his team grouped around him. “So, with the prefectural qualifier in October, we’ll only be able to go to Kanto two more times, including this trip,” Takeda explained to the group. “Let’s make the best of this chance.”

 

“Right!”

 

The boys made their way into the gym and Tobio glanced up when he heard a loud voice calling for Tsukishima. “Hey Tsukki! Jump block for me! Hey, hey, hey!”

 

Tobio’s eyes drifted over Bokuto’s shoulder. As he thought, Akaashi was standing there behind his captain. Tobio felt himself flush as he met his cousin’s eyes and he hurried past Tsukishima. He wasn’t sure why he felt as if he needed to be embarrassed, why he was avoiding his cousin. Maybe it was because this was the first time he had actually seen him since the last time he was in Tokyo. Since he met his grandmother for the first time.

 

It was different than talking to him through the phone.

 

Akaashi’s voice floated toward him and Tobio paused. Ah. He was talking to Tsukishima.

 

Should he be upset that his cousin had chosen not to follow him?

 

 _Was_ he upset?

 

Tobio didn’t know. But he did know that this was one of their last chances to practice against teams just as strong, if not stronger, than Aoba Johsai. And they needed to concentrate on improving.

 

And that’s what he did. He threw himself into practice, cursing under his breath each and every time he and Hinata’s quick failed. They were able to complete it successfully around seventy percent at this point but seventy percent wasn’t good enough. Not if they wanted to win. Seventy percent would be fine if they wanted to embarrass themselves in front of the other teams but that was the last thing that Tobio wanted.

 

Especially if he was on the court with Iwaizumi and Oikawa.

 

He might…care… for the two of them but that didn’t mean he was under any illusion that they would go easy on him or not completely mock him if he and Hinata failed miserably every time they tried a quick attack.

 

Well, at least Oikawa would.

 

He’d never hear the end of it.

 

They would be seventy years old and Oikawa would still be laughing about it.

 

Tobio shuddered at the thought. He would rather that didn’t happen.

 

“You two really do look similar.”

 

Tobio’s head snapped up from where he had been focused on eating his meal later that night. He blinked in surprise when he saw a pair of intense eyes staring at him. Analyzing him from under floppy brown hair.

 

“Yes, thank you for that, Kuroo-san.”

 

Tobio turned his head quickly and let his mouth drop open. When had Akaashi taken the seat beside him? “Close your mouth, King. You look like an idiot.”

 

When had Tsukishima sat down? Tobio was pretty sure that he was usually able to feel the demonic presence whenever the other first year walked into the room. Akaashi’s lips pinched together as he looked at the blond sitting beside him in disapproval. Tsukishima’s smirk dropped the second he noticed the look.

 

“Oh hoho!” Kuroo laughed with a mischievous smirk. “Tsukki’s in trouble!”

 

“Uh oh,” Bokuto said, pausing slightly as he placed his tray down beside the catlike third year. “Akaashi’s mad! What did you do?” he demanded, looking at Tsukishima as he eyed Akaashi warily. “It’s never a good thing when you make Akaashi mad…”

 

“Shut up, Bokuto-san.”

 

Bokuto’s head dipped as he slid into the seat beside Kuroo. Kuroo’s smirk only grew as he looked toward his friend. He opened his mouth and Tobio braced himself for whatever the scheming third year was going to say but a slim hand was suddenly placed over the boy’s mouth. Tobio followed the hand up to a tired looking Kenma. “No,” the usually quiet boy said firmly. “Bad Kuro.”

 

Tobio’s eyebrows shot up as Bokuto snorted loudly. Tsukishima chuckled evilly from beside Akaashi. And Akaashi – well, his lips were curled up just slightly as he looked at Kenma. “Hello, Kenma. Nice of you to join us.”

 

Kenma shrugged his small shoulders and slid into the open seat beside his soulmate, letting his hand drop as he did so. “Hinata wanted to sit here.”

 

As if waiting for Kenma to announce his presence, a tray was suddenly slammed down on Tobio’s right. He glanced over, not even slightly surprised to see a bouncing redhead standing there. “Bokuto!”

 

“Hinata!”

 

Tobio cursed as Hinata attempted to reach over the table to high five Bokuto. He only managed to slap his elbow into the side of Tobio’s head.  Tobio winced at the sudden rush of pain. “Watch it!”

 

“S-sorry, Kageyama-kun!” Hinata’s hands dropped and he looked toward Tobio in horror. “You- you aren’t going to tell the Grand King and Aoba Johsai’s Ace that it was me, right?”

 

Tobio rolled his eyes. “You should be more worried about me, dumb ass!”  


“Bu-but it’s the Grand King!”  


“I’m sure Oikawa-san will understand, Hinata-kun,” Akaashi said soothingly. “No need to worry.”

 

“Yo-you don’t know him, do you?”

 

As if summoned, Tobio’s phone began to ring. Tobio pulled it out and stared down at Oikawa’s name as Hinata began to sputter beside him. Tobio frowned. He didn’t want to answer it. He knew Oikawa wanted to know what happened and was probably worried. But Oikawa also knew where Tobio was at the moment. He would understand if Tobio wasn’t able to answer.

 

…right?

 

Tobio sighed once more and flipped his phone open. “Hinata accidently hit me in the head.”

 

“Sorry Great King!”

 

“We’re eating. I’ll call you back.”

 

“Tobio-“

 

Tobio snapped the phone closed, aware of how rude he was to even answer it at the meal with those surrounding him. He glanced up to see every eye fixated on him. A blush spread across his cheeks as he looked back down at his food. “Well, wasn’t that sweet?” Kuroo asked sardonically.

 

“As if you don’t panic the moment you feel the slightest bit of discomfort from Kenma,” Akaashi responded scornfully. Kuroo looked as if he wanted to argue but one look at the bottle blond beside him had him closing his mouth sheepishly. Kenma rolled his eyes.

 

The group ate in silence for a moment before Hinata perked up. “Are we all going to do a three on three after this?” Tobio’s brows furrowed. There were seven of them…

 

“Not me,” Kenma muttered instantly, somehow making a game system appear in his hand.

 

“But Kenma-“

 

“Not you either,” Tobio told the redhead, earning himself an indignant squawk. “We need to practice the quick.”

 

“But-“ he broke off as he met Tobio’s eyes. “Fine.”

 

“You are more than welcome to join us,” Akaashi said softly as Bokuto and Kuroo began to tease Tsukishima about the blond not declining the invitation.

 

Tobio shook his head. “We need to-“

 

“Yes,” Akaashi agreed, his lips twitching. “As amusing as it is to see the two of you flail about when the toss is off,” Tobio’s eyes narrowed, “you should make time for other things as well. If you do not want to join us tonight, make time when you return.”

 

Tobio slowly nodded his head and quickly turned back to his food. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had actually wanted to practice with him – besides Hinata. And Hinata didn’t count because, as Oikawa said to him, he was “just as obsessed as you, Tobio-chan!”. Of course, that prompted Iwaizumi to make a comment over _Oikawa’s_ volleyball obsession. He felt a smile tug at his lips at the remembered conversation.

 

He finished his meal and stood quickly to clear away his tray. “I’ll wait for you inside,” Tobio told Hinata bluntly as he walked away. As soon as he stepped outside of the cafeteria, he pulled his phone out and dialed an increasingly familiar number.

 

“Tobio-chan! That was rude!”

 

“It was rude of me to answer during the meal, Oikawa-san.”

 

“Still! You could have let me speak!”

 

Tobio rolled his eyes but he felt his lips curl up fondly. “Sorry. What did you want?”

 

“To ask if everything was okay!”

 

“Fine. Hinata was trying to high five Bokuto-san and ended up elbowing me in the head.”

 

Oikawa snorted. “I suppose that was why he was screaming in the background?”

 

“He didn’t want you to be mad.”

 

“How adorable,” Oikawa cooed. Tobio shook his head and sighed. “Well, what are you doing now? I guess you’re done eating.”

 

“Going to practice.”

 

“With who?”

 

“Hinata.”

 

There was an annoyed huff. “Tobio-chan! You can practice with chibi-chan anytime! Why aren’t you practicing with some of the people from the other schools?”

 

Tobio’s nose scrunched up. “We have something to work on.”

 

Oikawa groaned. “I know that, Tobio-chan. Even if you won’t tell me what it is. But you said you were only going to be able to practice with these teams two more times. Don’t you think you should take advantage of it?!”

 

Okay, so maybe that was true. But…but it would all be worthless if he and Hinata weren’t able to make their quick work. He didn’t want to fail.

 

“Tobio-chan? Do you have anyone else you can practice with?” Oikawa asked softly, hesitantly. Tobio knew what the third year was thinking. That Tobio, who had so much trouble making friends, didn’t have anyone else to practice with beyond Hinata.

 

“Akaashi-san wants me to play with him, Kuroo-san, Bokuto-san, and Tsukishima,” Tobio said firmly to dispel that thought. Even if he wasn’t going to do so, he didn’t want Oikawa to think he was just as pathetic as he had been in junior high.

 

“Akaashi? Your cousin?” Oikawa’s voice changed. It seemed somewhat deeper than it had a moment ago.

  
“Yeah.”

 

“Oh,” Oikawa cleared his throat. “Well, maybe practicing with Chibi-chan isn’t a bad idea.”

 

Tobio pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in confusion. It wasn’t as if Oikawa was able to see him but he felt like he needed to do so anyway. “I thought you wanted me to-“

 

“Just go practice with Chibi-chan. I’ll make sure Iwa-chan knows everything is okay. He’s in the shower right now.”

 

Tobio choked at the words and his face flushed as his mind flashed to a…somewhat unwanted image. “Shower?”

 

A moment of silence before loud laughter came through the speaker, making Tobio pull the phone away once more. This time because of potential damage to his eardrums. “Ooh, dirty thoughts, Tobio-chan? We just got back from practice and he’s staying the night.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“’oh’ he says,” Oikawa said, still chuckling. “Maybe we should have a sleep over when you return, hmm Tobio-chan?”

 

“Oikawa-san!”

 

More laughter. “Go practice, Tobio. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Goodnight, Oikawa-san.”


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I was going to finish this story the past week and post the final chapter tomorrow...but I somehow destroyed my laptop. Seriously, I opened it Monday morning and it fell to pieces. So, I had to find the money for a new one and then, of course, get the stupid software so I could write and get my stories off of the old computer. So...here's the next chapter. Finally. I'll finish the next two chapters (TWO!!!) within the next few days and hopefully this story will be finished by Monday...that's my hope, anyway. It might end up being Friday, depending on what I get done. Sigh.

Tobio came to a stop with the rest of his team, staring up at the Sendai Municipal Gymnasium. It was time. Finally, they could prove themselves, they could show what their team was able to accomplish. He vaguely heard Hinata saying something beside him but he didn’t bother to listen. No doubt the redhead was talking about winning and saying how they were going to get their revenge. It was the same thing that was running through Tobio’s head anyway.

 

And then the smaller boy took off running.

 

Tobio blinked for a moment and scowled. “Don’t you dare false start, dumbass!” He yelled as he pushed off himself and began to run after his friend. He came to a stop only a few seconds later when he saw Hinata frozen and staring up at another team. The boy that seemed to have caught Hinata’s attention had bleached hair and pierced ears. Tobio tilted his head curiously, wondering where he had seen the other boy, when said boy turned and looked down at Hinata.

 

“Huh?” his eyes flew open wide in realization. “That means…” the boy suddenly pushed Hinata’s head out of his line of vision and began to wave at someone behind Tobio. “Glasses-chan! Be sure to tell me your number today!”

 

Glasses-chan? Who was this guy talking about? Tobio saw Noya and Tanaka run forward furiously from the corner of his eye. Oh.

 

Well, at least the other team’s manager stopped it before the two got themselves disqualified.

 

Tobio heard the boy, the one that had pushed Hinata, say something about the first match. “Oh,” he said slowly as he comprehended the words. “So, they’re…” he suddenly remembered what had happened at the semi-finals. How a team had been harassing Kiyoko and Hinata had stepped in. Tobio had actually relayed the story to Oikawa and Iwaizumi later that night because he was irritated to think that someone would be doing such a thing to their manager. Both Iwaizumi and Oikawa had been furious as well, mostly on Tobio’s behalf since they didn’t know the shy girl well. But, well, the way Hinata had frozen when he saw them. This wasn’t the only team Hinata needed to be worried about. “This goes without saying, but they’re all here.” His mind flashed to his soulmates once again but it didn’t stop there. Dateko. Ushijima. They were all here. “We’re going to beat them all!”

 

Tobio was standing with the rest of team about an hour later when Hinata ran up to him, panting hard and his face drained of color. “What happened to you?” Tsukishima wondered out loud, his voice betraying just how idiot he believed the answer was going to be.

 

“The Great King…Seijoh’s Ace…Ushijima…and Aone…bathroom…”

 

“What is with you and bathrooms?” Yamaguchi wondered out loud as Yachi began to fuss over the shell shocked Hinata.

 

But Tobio’s brows pulled together for a different reason. He wandered away from the group and moved toward the direction Hinata had just come from. He didn’t have to go far. Iwaizumi was muttering something to a scowling Oikawa not far from the bathroom door. Oikawa answered back with his hands flailing. Tobio stepped closer to them and both of their eyes snapped up, ready for a challenge. Both boys’ shoulders relaxed when the saw who was approaching. “Tobio-chan,” Oikawa said, giving him a small smile. Tobio felt something bloom in his chest. That was a real smile. The type of smile that Tobio saw Oikawa give Iwaizumi. Not one of the fake, bright smiles the third year gave to everyone else. Oikawa thought he was deserving of the real one.

 

It made him give a small smile in return before he could think about it.

 

When he realized what he had done, he dropped the smile instantly and lifted his hand to cover his mouth. He looked at the two boys in horror. He hadn’t wanted them to see that. He knew his smiles made him look…somewhat demented, is the words Kuroo had used during their last training camp. Even Akaashi hadn’t disagreed with him.

 

“Hey, don’t do that,” Iwaizumi said, reaching out his hand and snagging Tobio’s jacket. He tugged gently and Tobio’s arm dropped as he closed in the last few remaining steps between them. Once he was closer, Oikawa reached out to grab his other wrist.

 

“Ready for today, Tobio-chan?” Oikawa asked, that smile still on his lips. Tobio nodded sharply. “Good. Remember, if you want to play us Karasuno needs to win three matches first.”

 

“So do you,” Tobio countered and Oikawa’s smile turned sharp.

 

“Don’t worry about us, Tobio-chan.”

 

“How’s shrimpy?” Iwaizumi asked, not wanting the tow of them to start an argument already. “He seemed…startled earlier.”

 

“Terrified,” Tobio corrected, sending them both a disapproving frown. They smiled wickedly in return. “What did you do?”

 

“It wasn’t our fault, Tobio-chan!” Oikawa whined, swinging his and Tobio’s arms for emphasis.

 

“Well, not all of our fault,” Iwaizumi admitted with an unrepentant shrug.

 

Tobio sighed. “He always runs into people in the bathroom.”

 

“Really?” Oikawa asked, his lips quirking up at the information. “Who else has he run into?”

 

Tobio was retelling various tales of Hinata’s bathroom adventures, including the one that involved himself in junior high, when Suga interrupted them. He smiled and waved at Oikawa and Iwaizumi before tugging on the back of Tobio’s jacket. “We’re going to start warming up. And I think your match is getting ready to start,” he said to the other two boys. The both nodded and began to walk toward their team.

 

“Good luck, Tobio-chan.”

 

“We’ll see you later.”

 

Why did that sound like a threat?

 

Well, knowing these two, it probably was.

 

“Yes, you will.”

 

Their first opponent, Johzenji, was…annoying. Tobio couldn’t think of a better way to describe them. They were jumping all over the place, trying things they had never practiced, seeming as if they didn’t care one way or another whether they won or lost. Well, until they did. But by then Tobio and the rest of his team were on their way to winning. The only reason they had trouble at first was because of the odd moves the team made. After they learned that they mostly did two on two practice, it made sense. They were used to having to cover all areas of the court and they used whatever they had at their disposal. But that meant that they really didn’t function very well as a team.

 

And Tobio used that.

 

Of course, the most annoying part of the entire match had been when Tobio took a volleyball to the face. He had been pulled from the game until his nose stopped bleeding and was taken to the nurse to get it checked.

 

It shouldn’t have surprised him that both Iwaizumi and Oikawa, whose match had ended with Aoba Johsai’s win, was waiting for him. “What happened?” Iwaizumi asked as he stepped forward and placed a hand under Tobio’s chin, lifting his head so he could get a better look.

 

“My _face_ , Tobio-chan?”

 

“Shut up, Trashykawa. At least you aren’t bleeding.”

 

It hadn’t been his finest moment. Oikawa and Iwaizumi stayed until the nurse deemed him ready to go back to the game and then once again disappeared with their team. Oikawa explained that they were going back to the school and weren’t going to watch the games that day, so they would talk to him tonight.

 

It had been a relief. He hadn’t wanted to think about the two of them sitting in the stands, watching every move that he made.

 

But they did it. They won.

 

They were moving on to the quarterfinals.

 

The group headed back to the school shortly thereafter and Tobio found himself sitting on the gym floor as Coach Ukai congratulated them and began to talk about the following day. Tobio was a little concerned that the man stated their defense was similar to Nekoma’s. As of now, Karasuno had not been able to beat Nekoma in straight sets.

 

He hoped the same thing wouldn’t be true of their next opponents.

 

Hinata and Tobio headed back to Tobio’s apartment. Because the games were going on, none of the team thought it was a good idea for Hinata to waste energy riding his back over the mountain every day so they decided he would be staying with Tobio. “And then it went pow!”

 

“I know. I was there.”

 

“But you weren’t as close as me! It was so cool! Hey, is the Great King coming over tonight?”

 

“No.”

 

Hinata stopped walking and tilted his head to stare at Tobio. Tobio inwardly shuddered. He hated it when Hinata looked at him like that. It was creepy. “Why not?”

 

“Because we’re in the middle of a competition? Because he and Iwaizumi have things to do with their team?”

 

“So it isn’t because I’m here?”

 

“They don’t even know you’re staying with me.”

 

“Rude, Kageyama!”

 

“How is that rude?”

 

“It just is!”

 

“Whatever, dumbass!”

 

Though neither Oikawa or Iwaizumi were coming over they did call Tobio a couple of hours later. The three boys talked for a few minutes, Hinata yelling loudly in the background as he watched something on Tobio’s laptop, before wishing each other luck and ending the conversation.

 

They weren’t the only ones that Tobio heard from. Akaashi sent him a message asking about the match and Tobio spent the rest of the night messaging his cousin back and forth as he and Hinata watched movies and made plans for the next day. They weren’t going to lose.

 

And they didn’t.

 

Sure, the match was more intense than the one they had had the day before. Wakunan was a well put together team. And their captain, Takeru, was good. Very good. Though he was barely taller than Hinata, he could jump and spike. His receivers were much better than the other boy. As were his serves. Tobio wanted to point this out to Hinata to make him realize that he could be just as much of a…force as this third year but he didn’t think he needed to.

 

He could see it on Hinata’s face.

 

Though they were good, Tobio didn’t really feel fear that Karasuno would lose until Daichi was injured. As soon as he stepped off the court, it was like a dark cloud settled over the team. Things were falling apart without their captain.

 

And then they weren’t.

 

The boys had to pull themselves together, to step up and attempt plays they had never done before because they had always known Daichi was there, watching their backs.

 

It was nice to know that they were capable of doing so.

 

But that didn’t mean they didn’t want Daichi on the court with them.

 

Even through all of that, they won.

 

They would be playing in the semi-finals.

 

The question was, who would their opponent be?

 

Which is how Tobio found himself sitting in the gym, along with the rest of his team, watching the match between Aoba Johsai and Date Tech.

 

He had mixed emotions. He wanted Aoba Johsai to win for the sake of Oikawa and Iwaizumi. So they could move on to the semi-finals. But… a part of him wanted Date Tech to win as well. Because then he wouldn’t have to worry about the game the next day. Well, not as much. Because if Aoba Johsai won, Karasuno was their next opponent.

 

And Tobio didn’t know how he felt about that.

 

He wanted to play against them. To stand on the court with them one last time, even if they were on different sides of the net. But…but he wasn’t sure how he would react if Karasuno lost to them again. He didn’t want to know how Oikawa was react if Aoba Johsai lost to Karasuno. He wasn’t sure what Iwaizumi would do.

 

He just, well, didn’t want to know.

 

It would be simpler if Date Tech ended Aoba Johsai’s streak here. Then Tobio wouldn’t need to worry.

 

But, the moment he saw Date Tech’s team, he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

 

The third years had retired. Date Tech had a new setter.

 

A setter that didn’t compare to Oikawa.

 

A team that wasn’t fully functioning. Not at the moment. Come Inter-High, Date Tech would be a force to be reckoned with. But now? Now they couldn’t compare the strength that made up Aoba Johsai.

 

And then it was settled.

 

The next match. Karasuno vs Aoba Johsai.

 

Winner goes to the Finals.

 

Tobio didn’t speak to anyone as they prepared for the last game of the day. He was well aware of the various eyes on him, eyes that turned away as soon as he looked over, but he didn’t both to say anything about it. This was it. He had known that it would come to this since he realized who his soulmates were. He knew that this was going to happen.

 

So did they.

 

They should be prepared for it. That one of them was going to lose. Now it was time to see which team was going to be victorious.

 

They would deal with the consequences after that.

 

He followed his team to the court and began warm ups. He kept telling himself to focus on what he was doing but he couldn’t stop his mind from wandering to what was going to happen later. What would happen that night? Which of them was going to be devastated with the other exhilarated?

 

He snapped out of his questioning fog when the volleyball in his hand dropped to the ground and rolled under the net. “Sorry,” he muttered as he ducked underneath and reached for the ball.

 

But another hand was already there.

 

Tobio looked up, ready to apologize once more, but met a pair of familiar brown eyes. Eyes that were challenging him. Eyes that were demanding that he focus here and now. On the game. Not on anything else. Tobio tightened his hold and pulled the ball toward him. But he met with resistance.

 

“Well, well,” Oikawa said as he gripped the ball. “If it isn’t Tobio-chan, who was miserably defeated last time.”

 

Oh, that’s how this was going to go. Fine. Tobio could do that. “We’ve come to win this time,” he snapped back as he pulled the ball his way once more.

 

“I depressed the hell out of you last time,” Oikawa growled. “All that’s left is that bastard, Ushiwaka.” Of course. In Oikawa’s mind, the battle between them had already been won. In a way, it had. Oikawa had seen him as a stepping stone, one that he had already crossed. Tobio was slightly relieved by that – he didn’t know where the two of them would be if Aoba Johsai hadn’t won that game. But…but Tobio knew that for him to move forward completely, he needed this. Needed to play Oikawa with all of his strength and see what happens. Only then could he truly forget about this stupid rivalry between them and move on with their lives.

 

“I’m gonna have you get out of the way again, Tobio,” Oikawa said loudly, letting go of the ball Tobio was still pulling on. The ball flew out of his hand as Tobio fell backwards. He hit the ground hard and scowled up at Oikawa. Oikawa who was rubbing his own back with a wince.

 

Serves him right.

 

“Damn it, Trashykawa! What are you doing?!” Iwaizumi yelled as he stomped toward them. He grabbed Tobio’s arm and pulled him to his feet.

 

“Sorry, Tobio-chan.”

 

Tobio rolled his eyes. He knew, Oikawa knew, and Iwaizumi knew that Oikawa wasn’t really. He was sorry for hurting him, sure, but not for the words. He was setting aside what they were to each other, setting aside the bond, and focusing on the game. Focusing on the rivalry.

 

Because, right at this moment, that is what mattered.

 

And they all knew it.

 

“We’re going to win, Oikawa-san.”

 

“Keep thinking that, Tobio-chan.”

 

Tobio turned his back and walked toward his waiting teammates. It was time to start the game.

 

And he wasn’t going to hold back.


	38. Chapter 38

Of course Aoba Johsai is going to be serving first. Oikawa has the opening move. Tobio’s heart stuttered as he looked across the net at the brunette. The calculating look on his face, the glint of a challenge in his eyes…

 

Oikawa Tooru never looked more like himself than in the moment he was on a volleyball court.

 

Tobio just wished that look was focused on someone else.

 

And then he was serving.

 

Tobio’s entire body tensed but he didn’t need to worry. Daichi was there instantly, sending the ball up in the air. Tobio felt a smirk cross his face and he couldn’t help but look toward Oikawa. The aggravated clench of his jaw and the furious look he was giving Tobio’s captain only made Tobio’s smirk grow. Until he realized the ball was going back over the net. Tobio shot forward instantly when he saw that Kindaichi was there to push the ball back over the net. Tobio managed to receive it before it hit the floor. Noya jumped and tossed the ball for Asahi. Tobio yelled in exhilaration as the ball slammed to the floor on the other side of the net.

 

The first point went to Karasuno.

 

And then Kageyama was up to serve. He took a deep breath and tossed the ball up, then he ran. He ran, jumped, and hit the ball, watching as it flew over the net. It was…

 

…out.

 

_Damn!_

Tobio cringed and saw Oikawa give him a smirk. Tobio ignored him and fixed his eyes on the next up to serve.

 

Iwaizumi.

 

A jump serve.

 

When the hell had Iwaizumi learned to do a _jump serve_?

 

Apparently he wasn’t the only one working on a new move that was being kept a secret.

 

Asahi managed to save the ball but it was once again flying over the net. Tobio ran forward and jumped, well aware that Kunimi was also jumping and ready to push the ball down. But Tobio was able to set it, one handed, to Tanaka.

 

And they scored.

 

Tobio once again turned a triumphant smirk toward the other team and saw both Oikawa and Iwaizumi looking at him in awed irritation. Tobio’s smirk turned into a smile at the looks before he turned around to his team.

 

Tobio had been avoiding tossing to Hinata. During their last match against Aoba Johsai, Hinata’s spike had been blocked and the ball had hit the ground before the red head had even opened his eyes. He knew that the memories were affecting Hinata now. He had hoped if he had waited the boy would realize it was a game just like any other.

 

But he seemed to be getting worse.

 

So Tobio tossed to him.

 

And Kindaichi blocked it.

 

Tobio cursed and turned his head, ready to watch as the ball hits the ground, only to see something else instead. Tsukishima saved it.

 

And it was up.

 

And going back over the net.

 

Tobio scowled and hurried up beside Hinata, eyeing the redhead in irritation. _He’s so worked up that he didn’t see the block!_ And he was getting worse. Tobio’s leg shot out, kicking the other boy in the back. He just hoped it would knock some sense into him. “Calm it down you…uh…dumbass!”

 

Iwaizumi jumped to spike and Tobio jumped, along with Hinata, to block. His eyes met Iwaizumi’s as the boy’s arm flew forward and he hit the ball. It hit Hinata’s hands and flew back toward Asahi. He sent it up and Tobio knew it was time. He sent the new toss toward Hinata and he saw the other boys’ eyes search for a way around the block.

 

And then he hit the ball.

 

And scored.

 

They all cheered, Tobio and Hinata hi-fiving each other. And then, Hinata, “You kicked me for real, you jerk!”

 

“I woke you up, you dumbass!” Tobio snapped back.

 

He could feel Iwaizumi and Oikawa’s eyes on him. He could feel their irritation…

 

Their irritation.

 

He could _feel_ …

 

The bond.

 

This was the fourth and final stage of the bond.

 

Being able to feel each other’s emotions.

 

It was happening _now_?!

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open wide and he turned toward the other team, ignoring the still arguing Hinata and Tanaka. A rush of emotions was overtaking him. Irritation, awe, and then…something stronger, something…something that made Tobio’s heart pound every time he laid eyes on Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Like now, as they were both staring at him with the same looks on their faces.

 

“Kageyama-kun? Is everything alright?” Daichi was there, right in front of him, blocking the view of his soulmates. A new wave of annoyance moved through him and Tobio knew it wasn’t from him.

 

He flinched.

 

“The fourth stage.”

 

“The fourth…shit,” Daichi muttered. He reached out and gripped Tobio’s shoulders. “Listen to me. It’s going to be difficult but you have to block it.”

 

“Block…”

 

“Close your eyes and focus on the emotions that are coming from them. Imagine a wall. It…it doesn’t feel great, I’m not going to lie. But right now…”

 

A wall. Tobio closed his eyes and focused on the feelings. He could practically see the emotions. And he imagined the wall, imagined cutting the two off. Pain seemed to erupt in his chest but it faded quickly to an ache.

 

But it was his pain.

 

He didn’t feel anything from them.

 

He opened his eyes and Daichi let out a sigh. He smiled at Tobio sympathetically. “Sorry, Kageyama-kun. Bad timing.”

 

“My life is bad timing,” Tobio muttered as he moved back to his position. He couldn’t look at Oikawa and Iwaizumi. He knew the two of them had to be confused about what had happened. But he didn’t want to think about it now. They had agreed to play this game to their full potential.

 

Tobio couldn’t do that if he was worried about how they were feeling the entire time.

 

The game continued. Tobio threw himself into it fully and forced himself to avoid his soulmates as much as he possibly could. It was when Mattsun (as Oikawa called him) reentered the game that Tobio realized the third year had come up with a way to counter Hinata’s slide hit. And, shortly thereafter, Oikawa pulled off a serve that not one person on their team even moved to intercept. None of them had realized that the third year had hit the ball until it was already slamming to the floor.

 

Tobio stared at it in awe.

 

That was absolutely incredible.

 

 And a bad omen for Karasuno.

 

Or so he thought.

 

It was out.

 

Pure relief flooded Tobio’s system. It was pure luck that the ball was out. If it had been in…if Oikawa had another chance to serve…

 

He would rather not think about it.

 

They were at set point.

 

And Tobio was up to serve.

 

_It won’t be easy to get it over. Don’t put too much strength into it. Our team is strong when all six of us are strong._

 

He took a deep breath and served. But Aoba Johsai picked it up and scored.

 

Damn.

 

And then a player was being switched in. Tobio tilted his head curiously. Bleached hair. An angry expression. Tobio was sure this person hadn’t previously been on the team. He pulled his eyes away from the new player and looked at Oikawa. Oikawa who was also looking toward the new player with dark eyes. Tobio’s shoulders tensed. If Oikawa was worried about this new player, Tobio knew he needed to be on guard.

 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi met the new player in the middle of the court, Oikawa talking to him with his hands on his hips. Tobio’s jaw clenched.

 

And then Iwaizumi was up to serve. Daichi received the ball and Tobio set it to Tanaka. It hit the block and went up, Oikawa setting the ball. And Tobio watched, his eyes wide, as Kindaichi, who the ball was clearly set for, went flying onto the floor as the new player ran up and pushed him out of the way. The boy spiked and the ball flew over the net, slamming onto the court.

 

It was out.

 

Karasuno had won the first set.

 

But Tobio didn’t feel as excited as he should. No, he was watching the other team. Watching as Kindaichi picked himself up off the floor. As Oikawa stared at the new player in absolute horror and shock. As Iwaizumi literally slammed his fist into the bleached blonde head and began to yell.

 

And he was starting the next set.

 

Tobio didn’t like it.

 

At all.

 

Unfortunately, the second set turned out differently than the first. With the new player with Aoba Johsai, the usual well-polished team became unpredictable. Tobio even had trouble figuring out what plays Oikawa was going to do. More than once, emotions leaked through his hastily constructed wall. He always ended up stumbling or losing focus.

 

And they lost the second set.

 

Tobio let out a sigh of defeat as he moved toward the coach and listened to what he had to say. It was nothing Tobio didn’t already know. They needed to get Oikawa’s serve up. They were going to surpass Aoba Johsai.

 

It was time for the third and final set. Whoever won would win the match and move onto the finals.

 

Tobio could honestly say he had played better than he ever had. He did everything he could to help his team win. To defeat Aoba Johsai. The teams were neck and neck, neither willing to give in the slightest. They used every tool they had. Hinata. Yamaguchi. Suga. Aoba Johsai did the same.

 

At one point, Tobio jumped to block and Hinata jumped sideways, slamming his side into Tobio’s. Tobio yelled out in pain and he heard a muffled groan and a pained yelp from the other side of the net. Hinata was able to block the ball so Tobio guessed he could forgive him. Even if he saw both Oikawa and Iwaizumi glaring at the red head a moment later with their own hands rubbing their sides.

 

Only a few moments later, Tobio did a dump that had Oikawa lying on the floor, the ball barely missing his hand. The older boy glared up at Tobio with pained eyes and Tobio felt his heart clench. But he turned away.

 

Focus on the game.

 

They were doing the same.

 

Don’t think of anything else.

 

His team was jumping on him in congratulations. But…he could feel the weight of the eyes on him. Of the person staring at his back. He knew Iwaizumi was there as well. He could feel the other boys anger slipping through the cracks of the wall he had in place.

 

He didn’t turn around.

 

Karasuno was at set point.

 

Suga served. Iwaizumi received. Oikawa tossed to the bleached blond who spiked the ball – it hit Tanaka’s head but at least the second year got it in the air. Tobio tossed the ball to Asahi. He spiked it but it was saved by Aoba Johsai’s #7. Tobio was sure he knew his name – he had helped him move – but he couldn’t be bothered at the moment. The ball flew off court and Tobio’s jaw clenched when Oikawa went after it. He pointed to Iwaizumi from across the court and Tobio prepared himself. The ball was already in the air and Iwaizumi had already jumped with Oikawa slammed into the table. Tobio’s body exploded in pain but he forced himself to ignore it. He jumped to block and winced as his knee exploded with pain.

 

But the ball flew past his hands and bounced off Daichi’s arms.

 

Tobio thought that was it. That they had lost the point.

 

But then Tanaka was there.

 

He managed to jump off court and get under the ball before it hit the ground. It hit his hand and flew up. Asahi ran. Jumped. Spiked.

 

And was received by the libero.

 

But it hit the net and almost went down to the floor…

 

…only to be saved by the annoying bleached blond.

 

It was coming back.

 

“Hit it, Kageyama!” Daichi yelled.

 

Tobio jumped and spiked.

 

But Kindaichi jumped as well.

 

He blocked it.

 

It flew down…and bounced off of Suga’s head.

 

From across the court, Daichi cursed.

 

“Give it to me!”

 

Tobio knew that voice.

 

Knew what to do.

 

He ran under the ball and tossed.

 

Three blockers jumped.

 

But Hinata spiked.

 

First the ball hit Kindaichi’s fingers.

 

And then it bounced off of Oikawa’s arms.

 

And flew back.

 

It hit the floor.

 

And it was over.

 

They had won.

 

The team cheered. Tobio cheered. And then there was someone at his back. He turned. Oikawa was standing there, staring at him from across the net. For the first time, Tobio couldn’t tell what Oikawa was thinking. Tobio dropped the hasty wall he had constructed during the match. But he didn’t feel anything.

 

He wasn’t the only one that had blocked the emotions.

 

And neither Oikawa or Iwaizumi were dropping their wall.

 

Oikawa turned away and moved toward his team. Toward Iwaizumi. Who hadn’t even turned Tobio’s way.

 

Neither looked at him.

 

Tobio felt his heart fall in his chest.

 

He was pulled away by his celebrating team.

 

He didn’t see them the rest of the day.

 

They didn’t call him that night.

 

No messages appeared on his arms.

 

He sent them a text.

 

It wasn’t read.

 

He knew that he couldn’t be focused on this. The finals were the next day. Hinata was trying to make him forget. Trying to get him to speak. He convinced him to message Akaashi and let him know that Karasuno was going to the finals. Akaashi congratulated him and asked about Oikawa and Iwaizumi. Tobio didn’t answer. Eventually, Tobio ignored Hinata and went into his room, leaving his phone behind with the other boy. Then he crawled into his bed and buried himself under the covers. Tears slipped from his eyes as he fell into an uneasy sleep.

 


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is it! I've never written anything this long before. I want to thank all of you that have stuck with me this long and everyone that is just discovering this story and has given their support. I hope you all enjoy the final chapter. I'm still planning on doing various one-shots from different POV's of this story, so be looking out for those!

 

Tobio still hadn’t heard a word from Iwaizumi or Oikawa by the time he placed his phone in his bag for the final time the next day. He was standing with his team, warming up for the finals, and he had not been able to turn his mind away from either of the boys. Though his own mental wall was lowered, there was no emotions leaking through the bond.

 

They were still blocking him.

 

“Everything will be fine, Kageyama-kun,” Hinata said as they moved toward Coach Ukai. “I promise.”

 

Tobio didn’t bother to respond. He knew that Hinata was just trying to get him to focus on the game. There was no possible way he could guarantee that everything would be okay.

 

But he hoped he was right.

 

Tobio took one last deep breath and pushed his out of his mind.

 

He had a game to win.

 

So he threw himself into it. The team came together perfectly. Tobio had never seen Tsukishima play the way he did that day. All of the practice he had done with the Kuroo, Akaashi, and Bokuto seemed to have paid off. They had trouble with Ushijima’s spikes, of course they did, but they found a way to at least counter some of them. The tall redhead, the one that they called the “guess monster” was another issue. But he seemed to be having some sort of rivalry with Tsukishima, so Tobio figured he’d let the blond deal with that. Anyone idiotic enough to pick a fight with Tsukishima, a real fight, deserved what they got.

 

Tobio wasn’t going to feel bad about it.

 

They played all five sets. And, in the end, they won.

 

Karasuno was the representative for Miyagi.

 

They were going to Tokyo.

 

Tobio couldn’t stop the smile from overtaking his face as they scored the final point. The cheers were deafening. He looked toward the stands and scanned the crowd, looking for two familiar faces. He knew, knew that they wouldn’t have wanted to come. But he hoped that they would anyway. For him.

 

But they weren’t there.

 

Tobio’s teeth ground together as he fought to keep the tears from falling. He was sure that most of the crowd would assume he was crying in joy. But…but there were people that would know the true reason.

 

He scanned the crowd one last time.

 

And saw a familiar face.

 

Actually, he saw seven.

 

His grandmother was cheering and clapping wildly. His aunt Kayda had tears running down her face as she cheered. His uncle Kaito was clapping with a small smile on his face as his wife hugged him. Beside his father, Akaashi was also smiling. He caught Tobio’s eye and waved. Bokuto was jumping up and down, shouting congratulations to Hinata. Tobio nudged the redhead and motioned toward the older boy. Hinata’s face turned a shade of red that clashed horrible with his hair as he frantically waved back. Beside Bokuto was Kuroo, Kuroo who seemed to be trying to get Tsukishima’s attention. From the proud and somewhat challenging expression on his face, Tobio thought it best to not alert Tsukishima to the other boy’s presence. Kenma had his head ducked down, not actually looking at anyone, but Tobio thought he saw a ghost of a smile when the blond hair parted just slightly.

 

“We need to line up,” Yamaguchi said with a bright smile, gripping Tobio’s arm and pulling him over toward Coach Ukai and Takeda. Once they were all situated around the two men, Takeda began to speak.

 

“I’m so happy!” The man said, tears streaming down his face.

 

Tobio took a cautious step back as Coach Ukai suddenly sprang forward. However, his hands landed on Daichi’s shoulders. “Sawamura! Great job completing that three man block in the end.’

 

Daichi’s lips twisted into a smile. “Well, I made a promise.”

 

Coach smiled at Daichi fondly but then his head snapped to the side. Tobio ducked down once more. “Tsukishima!” the man bellowed. Tobio flinched as he ran forward and slammed his hands down on Tsukishima’s shoulders. “No matter what anyone says,” Ukai told him solemnly. “You’re the MVP today.”

 

“I’m always the MVP,” Tanaka said happily, cutting into the conversation. “So I’ll let you have that title just for today, Tsukishima.”

 

“You’re definitely the mental MVP,” Coach replied.

 

Tobio turned his head as they left and saw Hinata had wandered over toward the score board. Tobio frowned and followed after him. It truly was a close match. They had barely managed to pull away enough to score the winning point.

 

“Ushijima-san was so damn cool…” Hinata muttered from Tobio’s side. Tobio nodded his head. He had never played someone like Ushijima before. He finally understood why Oikawa had decided the other third year was his enemy.

 

He wondered how Oikawa would feel, knowing that Tobio had succeeded where he had failed.

 

If Oikawa even cared.

 

The bond was still closed.

 

“Hinata Shoyo and Kageyama Tobio of the concrete…” Tobio’s shoulders stiffened. He knew that voice. He turned instantly, facing the third year. “I will defeat you next time,” Ushijima promised.

 

Tobio scowled but Hinata jumped forward. “I’ll make sure I’ll be able to stand on the same level as you!”

 

Tobio pushed his friend out of the way. “I’ll make you say that I’m better than Oikawa-san!”

 

Ushijima stared at them for a moment. Then he turned and began to walk away. Tobio felt his shoulders begin to relax but then the other boy turned. “Kageyama Tobio. Oikawa told me to watch out for you. I will be sure to do so in the future.”

 

Mouth hanging open, Tobio watched as Ushijima walked toward his team. Oikawa had said what? When? When had Oikawa, who gagged every time Ushijima was mentioned, spoken to the other boy? And about Tobio?

 

“Told you everything would be okay,” Hinata said happily. Tobio sent the smaller boy a glare. From where he was standing, there was no reason for the other boy to gloat.

 

“The ceremony is starting. Yamaguchi, go get Tsukishima,” Daichi called. “Kageyama, Hinata, get over here!”

 

Tobio trotted over to where the rest of the team had lined up, Hinata beside him. Only a few moments later, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi came back into the gym and joined them. “And now,” the man standing on the podium started. “I present this award to the victors. Miyagi Prefectural Karasuno High School. Concluding the Miyagi Prefecture Qualifiers of the National High School Volleyball Tournament, your team emerged as victorious. I present you this award in acknowledgement of your commendable performance. Congratulations.”

 

Tobio bit back a smile as Daichi and Suga stepped forward to take the award and trophy. A moment later, a woman walked down the line and placed a golden medal around each person’s neck. Tobio’s lips curled as the weight rested against his chest. “To praise both teams for their good match and to wish the best to Karasuno High School for their performance at the Spring High School Volleyball National Tournament in January, I’d like the audience to give them another big round of applause.”

 

They did. Tobio could hear the distinct voices of Bokuto and Kuroo. Bokuto was yelling for Hinata and “Tsukki!”, while Kuroo seemed to be yelling each of their names in a row. Tobio felt himself flush as his name was yelled out by the older boy.

 

But he didn’t hear the voices he longed to hear.

 

Because they weren’t there.

 

The ceremony ended and Tobio felt himself being pulled into yet another hug, this one initiated by Noya and Tanaka. He shouldn’t have been surprised. He managed to pull away eventually and glanced back up at the stands. The seats began to empty and Tobio saw Akaashi point out the doors when their eyes met. Tobio nodded, knowing that meant that his family – _his family_ – was going to be waiting for him.

 

But not all of them.

 

Tobio’s mind flashed to a woman with dark hair and eyes. A woman that had smiled and laughed with him when he was younger. Before the marks appeared on his arms. Before she began to resent him. Before she gave him up.

 

He then thought of Iwaizumi. How he had always been there to help whenever Tobio asked during junior high. The look on his face during that horrible last game of Tobio’s time as setter at their former school. The worried frown on his face when he had entered Tobio’s room the day he fell off his bed. The way they wrapped around each other, limbs tangled together, as they watched movies.

 

Oikawa. Oikawa who had been an idol to Tobio in so many ways. The person that Tobio had always strived to be like. The boy that had laughed with him, cried before him, yelled at him.

 

Tobio loved them. Each and every one.

 

But they had all abandoned him.

 

“Kageyama-kun?” A soft voice cut into his thoughts and a soft hand was placed on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

 

Tobio blinked frantically, well aware that his eyes had filled with tears. “Fine,” he replied quickly.

 

Suga squeezed his shoulder but his eyes were still worried. “We’re going to celebrate. Coach Ukai is buying.”

 

He hesitated. “My family is here.”

 

Suga’s eyes lit. “Really? Your grandmother?”

 

“And Akaashi.”

 

“Really?” Suga said happily, placing his hands on his hips. “Well, they’re welcome to join us.”

 

“Bokuto too?” Hinata asked, jumping up and down.

 

“Bokuto’s here too?”

 

“And Kuroo and Kenma!”

 

“Wow,” Suga said, glancing over his shoulder toward Daichi. Daichi nodded his head and Suga turned back toward them. “Sure! They helped us quite a bit, after all.”

 

“Yay! Come on, Kageyama-kun! Let’s go find them!” Tobio was barely able to register the words before Hinata gripped his wrist and pulled him out of the gym toward the hall. “Where do you think they are? I’m sure they’re close…they’re waiting for you, right?” Tobio just shrugged but Hinata let out a loud yell of triumph before pulling him along once more. “Bokuto-san!”

 

“Hinata!”

 

Tobio’s wrist was released as the small redhead threw himself toward the multi-haired third year. Tobio blinked at the two of them for a moment, completely confused as to when they got so close, but turned when he heard his name spoken. “Congratulations, Tobio,” his grandmother said, leaning down and wrapping Tobio in a hug. He stiffened instantly but the older woman didn’t seem to mind. She just gave him one more squeeze and pulled away with a bright smile.

 

“That was extremely impressive, Tobio-kun,” Kayda said quickly, pulling him toward her gently. Tobio allowed it for a few second before pulling away. “You truly are talented.”

 

“I did tell you he was better than me,” Akaashi said softly toward his mother. “Truly a genius.”

 

For the first time, Tobio didn’t flinch at the word.

 

His cousin smiled slightly and glanced over his shoulder. “Will your team be celebrating?”

 

“Yes!” Hinata yelled out before Tobio was able to do so. “They said you’re all invited! I- oh,” he broke off and flushed. “Sorry. I’m Hinata Shoyo, Kageyama-kun’s best friend. Pleased to meet you,” he said loudly, bowing at the waist.

 

Tobio felt himself choke.

 

Hinata was his best friend?

 

…Hinata was his best friend.

 

Huh.

 

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” his grandmother said. “But I think we’ll sit this one out. Kayda, Kaito and I will return home. They have to work tomorrow. But I do not see any reason why the boys can’t stay.” She glanced toward Akaashi, Bokuto, Kuroo, and Kenma.

 

Kuroo rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, Kenma and I need to head back. We want to see everyone first,” he said quickly toward Tobio. “But it would be better if we return tonight.”

 

Tobio nodded his head. He didn’t really know Kuroo or Kenma well enough to care whether they stayed or went. And he saw the slight widening of Kenma’s eyes in that brief moment he thought he would be stuck in Miyagi for the day.

 

He would be just as uncomfortable if he was suddenly stuck somewhere.

 

“You can stay with me for the night, if you want,” Tobio said, his voice wooden as he made the offer to Akaashi and Bokuto. He truly did want his cousin to stay. But just making the offer made his heart pound anxiously.

 

Akaashi glanced toward Bokuto, who nodded his head frantically, before smiling slightly at Tobio. “Thank you, Tobio-kun. We will do so.”

 

Tobio felt himself flush.

 

“Well, you boys have fun,” Tobio’s grandmother said, placing her hand on Tobio’s shoulders. “I suppose those soulmates of yours are around here somewhere. I was hoping to introduce them.”

 

Tobio’s hands clenched and he felt something stab through his chest. “I- I’m not sure where they are,” Tobio said, his voice cracking. He looked toward the ground and tried to ignore the various eyes on him. It felt like they were boring into his head, like they could see everything he was thinking. See the problems he was having. After what seemed like hours, the light hand squeezed before dropping completely.

 

“Alright. Another time, then.”

 

Tobio was bid goodbye and received yet another hug before his grandmother, aunt, and uncle wandered away. “Kageyama-kun! Come on!” Hinata said, bouncing off down the hall. He had his small hand wrapped around Bokuto’s wrist. “They’ll leave without us!”

 

“I really doubt that,” Tobio muttered. Akaashi chuckled in agreement but the two boys followed after the loud duo. Kuroo and Kenma followed right behind them.

 

“There they are!” Suga said happily from where he stood with the rest of the team outside the gym.

 

“Suga! Congratulations!” Bokuto yelled out. Kuroo hurried forward as well, heading straight for Daichi. The two of them entered a conversation that Tobio thought it was better not to listen to. Kenma leaned against a wall, his hands fiddling with his sleeves, and Hinata was quick to join the second year.

 

“It was a very interesting game,” Akaashi said and Tobio turned his attention toward his cousin. “I was unsure for a moment what the outcome would be.”

 

“So was I,” Tobio muttered.

 

Akaashi chuckled under his breath but his face soon became serious. “Tobio-kun, where are Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san?”

 

Tobio froze and made sure to keep his eyes away from his cousin’s face. “I don’t know.”

 

“Hmm,” Akaashi said. “Are you supposed to meet them somewhere?”

 

“No.”

 

He could actually _feel_ Akaashi’s eyes narrowing. Tobio shifted uncomfortably. “Did something happen, Tobio-kun?”

 

“I-“

 

“Who is this? Why is he calling you Tobio-kun, Tobio-chan?” A familiar, demanding voice cut in. Tobio turned his head so quickly he felt something in his neck pop.

 

There they were.

 

Oikawa’s eyes were narrowed and his arms crossed over his chest. Iwaizumi beside him, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. Tobio’s mouth opened in surprise.

 

There were here?

 

Had they been here the entire time?

 

“Tobio-chan!” Oikawa whined. “Who is _that_?!”         

 

Tobio blinked, completely confused. He hadn’t heard a thing from either of them since the game the day before. He had thought…but they were standing in front of him as if nothing was wrong. “Akaashi,” Tobio blurted out at the demanding look Oikawa was giving him.

 

Oikawa’s arms fell to his sides and Iwaizumi’s eyes snapped up toward the boy standing beside Tobio. Tobio could see his cousin’s own eyes narrowing in response. “This. This is your cousin?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Oikawa’s mouth opened and closed a few times and Tobio suddenly realized that the team had fallen silent around them. Bokuto and Kuroo had moved to stand beside Kenma and Hinata once more and he heard Bokuto whisper, well, his version of a whisper, to Hinata. “Who are they?”

 

“The Great King and Seijoh’s Ace.”

 

“The-“

 

“Oikawa and Iwaizumi,” Kenma said, translating. “Kageyama’s soulmates.”

 

There was a loud squawk from their direction after those words but Tobio didn’t hear the rest of the conversation before Oikawa spoke. “You. You’re the setter for Fukurōdani?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You’re the one that called us when Tobio-chan met his grandmother.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“The one that he keeps texting when he’s with us.”

 

“Unless he’s texting someone else.”

 

“You’re pretty.”

 

“So I’ve been told.”

 

“Pretty and part of a nationally ranked team.”

 

“Is this going somewhere, Oikawa-san?”

 

Tobio didn’t know what to do as Oikawa’s eyes flashed. That was never a good look. That meant Oikawa was going to do something…not nice. But Tobio didn’t understand what had caused it this time.

 

“This is ridiculous,” an annoyingly familiar voice cut in. A murmured “Tsukki-“ was heard just before Tsukishima stepped up and raised an eyebrow in Oikawa’s direction.

 

Oikawa scowled. “Glasses-kun.”

 

“Great King,” Tsukishima snarked back. He pointedly turned his back on Oikawa, who squawked in protest, and looked at Akaashi. “Your hand?”

 

“Better than yours,” Akaashi muttered. Tobio tilted his head toward the side in confusion. Hand? When had Akaashi hurt his hand? And how did Tsukishima know before Tobio?

 

“Sorry.”

 

“It’s fine,” Akaashi insisted.

 

“Tobio-chan! You didn’t tell us your cousin was soulmates with Glasses-kun!”

 

Tobio’s eyes flew open wide as the words slammed into his head. Cousin…Glasses…He looked down at Tsukishima’s injured hand. Then toward Akaashi’s bruised and swollen fingers.

 

Oh _hell_.  


“You…” Tobio stuttered, pointing toward Akaashi. “And you…” his hand swung toward Tsukishima. “You are…”

 

“Use your words, King.”

 

“Tsukishima-kun,” Akaashi reprimanded.

 

“He’s a moron.”

 

“I told you to stop calling him that.”

 

“I-“ Tobio started, his head swimming. “Tsukishima. Soulmates. With my cousin.”

 

Loud laughter erupted from behind him. “Wow. You have great luck, Kageyama-kun!”

 

“Shut up, Hinata!”  


“Tobio.”

 

Snapping his head toward the voice he had yet to hear that day, Tobio met the tired eyes of Iwaizumi. “Can we talk to you?”

 

Tobio stared at him, unsure what to say. He was terrified of what this…talk was going to entail. After all, they had reached the fourth stage of the bond. Only for it to be completely closed off only moments later. The indecision must have shown on his face because someone stepped in front of him. Surprisingly, it was someone that wasn’t able to completely block his vision. “We’re going to celebrate,” Hinata said stubbornly, his chin jutting out. Even Tobio could tell the smaller boy was shaking.

 

“He’ll join you,” Iwaizumi promised, his lips turning up just slightly as he looked at Hinata.

 

“But-“

 

“Kageyama-kun knows where we’re going,” Suga said, gripping Hinata’s arm and pulling him away. “We’ll save you seats.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Noya and Tanaka began to protest loudly as they were pulled away by Daichi. Hinata was still glaring from where he was in Suga’s grip. The rest of the team left slowly. Tsukishima hesitated a moment before sighing and offering Akaashi his hand. Akaashi’s eyes shifted from Tobio, to his soulmates, to Tsukishima before he rolled his eyes and accepted the hand. The look he gave Tobio told him clearly to contact him if anything happened. Bokuto and Kuroo were both oddly silent as they walked past, their eyes narrowed on Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Kenma didn’t even bother to look.

 

And then they were alone.

 

Tobio stared down at the floor. He was unsure of what to say. Unsure of what _they_ were going to say. His hands clenched into fists. He wasn’t going to cry, or panic, or anything else. He would just nod his head and follow after his friends.

 

“We- need to apologize, Tobio-chan.”

 

Tobio’s eyes lifted instantly in shock. “Wh-what?”

 

Oikawa scrunched up his nose and Iwaizumi rubbed at the back of his neck once more. “We’re sorry,” Iwaizumi said softly with a grimace. “Yesterday, the bond intensified at a very…inopportune moment,” he admitted. “We felt you closing it off and knew that we should do the same. We were going to open it after the game but…” he sighed and rubbed at his neck again. “Honestly, we…didn’t expect to lose.”

 

Tobio felt himself straighten up at the admission. “But you did.”

 

“Don’t get cocky,” Oikawa muttered but he let out a deep sigh at the look Iwaizumi shot him. “Look, we fully expected to win yesterday and play today in the finals. But we lost. It took us some time to come to terms with that. And we didn’t want the first thing you felt from us to be…that.”

 

That. Tobio’s brows furrowed in confusion but then he remembered how he felt after losing to Aoba Johsai during the Inter-High. The crushing defeat. Feeling as if he would never be good enough. That he would never catch up to them. And then he remembered that this was it for them. Their last game playing with their team.

 

Their last high school tournament.

 

And then Tobio understood.

 

He wouldn’t have wanted them to feel those things from him, either.

 

And yet…

 

“You didn’t even try to contact me.”

 

They exchanged a look. “No, we didn’t,” Iwaizumi muttered. “I…we messed up. We know that. We should have at least messaged you to let you know but…”

 

“But we were a little busy crying our eyes out,” Oikawa snapped. “Sorry about that.”

 

“Tooru-“  


“But we came here today. Even after all of that. We were here, we saw you play. We saw you _win_ ,” Oikawa’s dark eyes lightened. “Congratulations, Tobio-chan. You all played a good game.”

 

“Oikawa-san-“

 

“Tooru,” Oikawa said, his lips twisting up into a smile. A true smile. “Stop calling me Oikawa-san.”

 

“But-“

 

“He’s right, for once,” Iwaizumi cut in, ignoring Oikawa’s outraged cry. “We’ve reached the final stage of the bond. Don’t you think it’s time you call us by our given names?”

 

Tobio’s face felt like it was on fire. “But-“

 

“Say it, Tobio,” Oikawa purred, taking a step forward. Tobio shivered. The boy was so close he could feel the heat coming from his body.

 

“Oika-“

 

“Not listening. Try again.”

 

Tobio took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “T-Tooru.”

 

“That’s it,” Oikawa said. Tobio shivered as a warm hand was suddenly placed against his cheek. “Open your eyes, Tobio.” Tobio did so hesitantly and tried to reel back when he saw just how close the other boy was. But Oikawa’s arm slipped around his waist quickly, holding him close. Tobio’s breath hitched in his throat. He saw the smirk on Oikawa’s lips. Saw the way his eyes flickered down.

 

And yet he still wasn’t prepared when Oikawa’s lips pressed against his own.

 

Tobio’s back straightened but the warm lips coaxed his own until Tobio was able to realize what was happening. He began to respond slowly, unsure of what he was doing. It didn’t seem to matter. Oikawa groaned low in his throat as Tobio’s lips began to move against his own and the arm around his waist tightened-

 

Only to be ripped away a moment later. “Good lord, Trashykawa! Did you forget we’re in public?”

 

“Iwa-chan! Your just mad because I kissed him before you did!”

 

“You’re such an idiot-“

 

“Am not!”

 

Tobio’s eyes blinked open. Iwaizumi was now the one in front of him, Oikawa standing off to the side. His usually pale skin was flushed and his lips were slightly swollen. Tobio swallowed hard. That was because of him. He did that.

 

And he wanted to do it again.

 

But…

 

Steeling himself, Tobio moved quickly, stepping in between the two arguing third years. And then he pressed his lips against Iwaizumi’s quickly.

 

He pulled back and bit his lip when he saw Iwaizumi’s wide eyes. Oikawa was laughing hysterically and Tobio felt the urge to throw a volleyball at the other boy. But he wasn’t able to do so before warm lips were pressed against his own.

 

And then the walls broke.

 

Emotions flooded his system, emotions that weren’t his own. So many emotions that he wasn’t even aware of what they all were. He couldn’t even name some of them.

 

But they mimicked his own.

 

“Alright, you two,” Oikawa said, laughter ringing through his voice as Tobio and Iwaizumi pulled away from one another. “We need to get to Tobio’s team before they come after us.” Tobio nodded his head slightly as he struggled to breathe. He wasn’t sure if his lack of breath was because of the kissing or the sudden rush of emotions.

 

“Team. Celebration,” Tobio managed to say in agreement.

 

“Yes, Tobio-chan,” Oikawa laughed, slipping his hand into Tobio’s. “Celebration.”

 

“Stop teasing him, Tooru.”

 

“We both know that’s never going to happen.”

 

“Such a crappy guy.”

 

“Meanie, Iwa-chan!”

 

Tobio sighed but tightened his hand around Oikawa’s and leaned further into Iwaizumi’s arms. Maybe things weren’t all bad after all.


	40. An Ending Note

Just a couple of updates here for everyone. First, some of you might know that I posted a new story in this universe. It is a series of connecting one-shots that follow along with this story and gives everyone insights into different characters minds.

 

Second, I actually went through and edited this story today. I hope it reads a lot better than it did previously and there have been a couple of new scenes added. Nothing really drastic that changes the story but you might see things in the one-shot's you don't recognize.

 

Once again, I wanted to thank everyone that encouraged me when writing this story and I hope to see all of you in the second part of this series!


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